Waiting...waiting...waiting...waiting...

When I know what I want, I’m the most impatient person ever—especially when I’m waiting to hear back from someone. So I looked up some verses to help me stay calm…

“Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.” Psalm 25:5

“Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him.” Psalm 62:5

“I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry.” Psalm 40:1

“Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the LORD is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!” Isaiah 30:18

“But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” Isaiah 40:31

“In that day they will say, "Surely this is our God; we trusted in him, and he saved us. This is the LORD, we trusted in him; let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation." Isaiah 25:9

“Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him.” Isaiah 64:4

Now you can comment...

After a handful of emails from you about posts…and in-person complaints that you have to register to comment…I took another look at my settings. Turns out that it was just a couple clicks of the mouse to change this. Now anyone can comment. I’m sort of getting the hang of this.

God doesn't lose control

This morning I needed the reminder that God is still in control. Because God doesn’t lose control. And whether or not I see the purpose of His actions doesn’t matter, because even if He told me His plan, I don’t have the experience or patience to understand it. So a few hours ago—when I heard of more cuts at work—this passage from Ecclesiastes was rather refreshing…

A Time for Everything
“There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under heaven:
a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain,
a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.

What does the worker gain from his toil? I have seen the burden God has laid on men. He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end. I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live. That everyone may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all his toil—this is the gift of God. I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that men will revere him.

Whatever is has already been,
and what will be has been before;
and God will call the past to account.”

Ecclesiastes 3:1-15

Mmm...Cake!

Soon there will be an occasion, and I plan to make this delicious-looking Hummingbird Cake…minus the flowers. When a cake batter includes bananas and pineapples, I can only imagine how moist it will be. Stay tuned…

Think “I get to” thoughts

Sometimes the monotony of life wears on me, and it’s easy to grow tired of the repetition: wake up to the ever-present alarm clock, go to work, cook dinner, sleep, repeat.

But the other night at bible study, my friend Barb shared an encouraging thought. She said that she tries to stay in the “I get to” frame of mind:

• “I get to go to work because God has blessed me with a job.”
• “I get to cook dinner because God has blessed me with food.”
• “I get to do laundry because God has blessed me with clothes.”
  

So now when I sound a bit too much like those complaining Israelites wandering around in the dessert, I’ll try to flip the “I get to” switch, and take a minute to realize how blessed I really am.

“So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your eating, sleeping, going to work, walking around life—and place it before God as an offering.” 1 Romans 12:1

YUM: Apple Potato Sausage Saute

This is a great breakfast-for-dinner recipe. YumSugar posted this from Vegetarian Times magazine. I subbed out the "soy sausage" for the real thing.

Apple Potato Sausage Saute
Serves 4

Ingredients

• 2 Tbs. plus 2 tsp. vegetable oil
• 1 lb. small potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 large apples, unpeeled and thinly sliced
• 1 6-oz. pkg. sausage links, cut into thirds
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup shredded cheddar for garnish
• 1/4 cup snipped parsley for garnish

Directions

1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large skillet over medium heat. Sauté potatoes about 7 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon oil to skillet, and sauté onion with potatoes about 5 minutes or until golden. Remove potatoes and onion, and set aside.
2. Add remaining 2 teaspoons oil to skillet, and sauté apples over medium heat about 5 minutes, stirring to prevent burning. Spray separate skillet with nonstick cooking spray; brown “sausage” links.
3. Add all ingredients to skillet of hot apples; stir well to heat through. Sprinkle with cheese and parsley, and serve.

Recipe at Vegetarian Times:
http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/9211?utm_source=LowFat&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=content?sssdmh=dm17.360595&esrc=nwycdishorteat2&email=1325727853%3C/span%3E

YUM: Meat Loaf

Internet: I confess that I've never been a fan of meat loaf. I ate it once in 5th grade...at a friend's house. It was most definitely never made in my mom's kitchen. But I wondered if it was one of those delicacies that you learn to appreciate as you grow up, so I was willing to give it a chance. I tried this recipe is from the National Kidney Foundation, and I would say that my mind is changed. Jordan asked if we could make this one again.

Meat Loaf

Ingredients:
2 beaten eggs
3/4 cup milk
2/3 cup bread crumbs
2 tablespoons onions
1/2 teaspoon sage
1 1/2 lbs ground beef
1/2 cup fresh sliced mushrooms
Topping
1/4 cup salt-free ketchup
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions
Mix all the meat loaf ingredients together and pat into a loaf pan. Bake 1 hour at 350°F. Take out of oven and pour off grease. Mix first four topping ingredients together and put on top of meat loaf. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake until cheese melts.

Nutrition
Calories 335
Carbohydrates 14
Protein 26
Fat 19
Sodium 177
Potassium 416
Phosphorus 223

From the National Kidney Foundation

Upgrade: Rechargable Wiimotes

Jordan and I are excited about our new wiimote charge station. No more batteries! The dock plugs into a USB port in the back of the Nintendo Wii. The dock lights up red when they're in need of more juice, and it turns blue when they're ready for more action.

Jordan bought this generic brand dock for about $10. It's looking to be a wise investment. The wiimotes were left plugged in for the first 12 hours, and now they're begging for some play.

YUM: Buttermilk Pankcakes

(If you think I eat all the time, you're probably mostly right.)

This Saturday Jordan and I finally got a chance to relax. He came over with Eric to hang out and play some Wii. I took a timeout from the Mario Kart action to cook us some breakfast for lunch. I made buttermilk pancakes, cook-to-order eggs, and sausage links.

The pancakes tasted pretty decent, but I could definitely use some tips for pancake flipping. They weren't exactly golden brown or perfectly round...

Buttermilk Pancakes
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 4 minutes per batch
Servings: 4 (8 pancakes)

Ingredients
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
2 egg whites
1 tablespoon cooking oil
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Nonstick cooking spray

Directions
1. In a medium bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Make a well in the center of flour mixture; set aside. In a small bowl combine buttermilk, egg whites, oil, and vanilla; add all at once to flour mixture. Stir just until moistened (batter should be slightly lumpy).
2. Lightly coat an unheated griddle or heavy skillet with nonstick cooking spray. Preheat over medium heat. For each pancake, pour 1/4 cup of the batter onto the hot griddle or skillet. Cook over medium heat about 2 minutes on each side or until pancakes are golden, turning to second sides when pancakes have bubbly surfaces and edges are slightly dry. Serve warm.

Nutrition Facts
177 cal, 4g total fat (1g sat fat), 2mg chol, 416mg sodium, 27g carbo, 1g fiber, 7g pro

Recipe from the New Dieter's Cookbook published by Meredith Corporation

Girls' Night Out: Blue Moon

Friday night after work I joined some friends at the Blue Moon piano bar. We munched on appetizers from fried mushrooms to artichoke dip and sipped on a few drinks. When the show started, we sang along to some great hits from Journey to Garth Brooks. It was so nice to take a break and catch up with the ladies!

YUM: Pork Fried Rice

I'm a big fan of Chinese food. I love it even more when it can be made with less grease--and a bit more healthy. I tried this Pork Fried Rice dish from Family Circle. This will definitely been on the dinner table again in the next couple months.

Pork Fried Rice

Makes: 4 servings
Cook: 6-1/2 minutes
Prep: 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 pound boneless, center-cut pork chops, fat trimmed and cut into 1/4-inch strips
• 2 scallions, trimmed and sliced
• 2 packages (8.8 ounces each) fully cooked brown rice
• 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
• 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil

Directions

1. Coat a 12-inch nonstick skillet with nonstick cooking spray and heat over medium heat. Add beaten egg and let cook, undisturbed, for 1 minute. Use a large silicone spatula to flip over egg and cook an additional 30 seconds, until cooked through. Transfer to a cutting board and cut into 2 x 1/2-inch strips.

2. Increase heat under skillet to medium-high and add pork. Cook 3 minutes, until no longer pink, then add scallions, brown rice and peas. Cover with a sheet of foil and cook an additional 2 minutes. Stir in egg, soy sauce and sesame oil and heat through. Serve warm.

See the recipe from Family Circle: http://www.parents.com/recipe/pork/30-minute-pork-fried-rice/

YUM: Gingered Beef & Vegetables

A great slow-cooker recipe to help those of us in the Midwest stay warm. Prepare this dish the night before, and plug in the slow-cooker before you leave for work the next morning. It smells so good when you walk in the door that night. I usually serve this recipe over brown rice.

Gingered Beef & Vegetables
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 9 to 10 hours (low) or 4 1/2 to 5 hours (high), plus 20 minutes on high

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 pounds boneless beef round steak, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 4 medium carrots, bias-cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
• 1/2 cup bias-sliced green onions
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1-1/2 cups water
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
• 1-1/2 teaspoons instant beef bouillon granules
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 3 tablespoons cold water
• 1/2 cup chopped red sweet pepper
• 2 cups loose-pack frozen sugar snap peas, thawed
• Hot cooked rice

Directions

1. In a 3-1/2- or 4-quart slow cooker, combine beef, carrots, green onions, and garlic. In a medium bowl, combine the 1-1/2 cups water, the soy sauce, ginger, bouillon granules, and crushed red pepper; pour over mixture in cooker.

2. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 9 to 10 hours or on high-heat setting for 4-1/2 to 5 hours.

3. If using low-heat setting, turn to high-heat setting. In a small bowl, stir together cornstarch and the 3 tablespoons cold water; stir into meat mixture along with sweet pepper. Cover and cook for 20 to 30 minutes or until thickened, stirring once. Stir in sugar snap peas. Serve with hot cooked rice. Makes 6 servings.

Nutrition Facts

• Calories 350,
• Total Fat (g) 10,
• Saturated Fat (g) 4,
• Cholesterol (mg) 68,
• Sodium (mg) 400,
• Carbohydrate (g) 35,
• Fiber (g) 3,
• Protein (g) 29,
• Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet

I got this recipe from BHG: http://www.bhg.com/recipe/beef/gingered-beef-and-vegetables/

YUM: Chicken Pasta Toss

Love this recipe. Fresh parsley and Romano make it a staple.

Chicken Pasta Toss
Cook time: 20 minutes
Servings: 6

Ingredients:
8 ounces dried linguine
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
6 ounces pre-cooked chicken
3 cups steamed asparagus
1/4 cup finely shredded Romano cheese
2 tablespoons snipped fresh parsley
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
salt

Directions:
1. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Return to hot pan. Meanwhile, in small saucepan, cook garlic, crushed red pepper, and chicken in hot oil over medium heat about 1 minute or until fragrant.
2. Add garlic mixture and steamed vegetables to cooked pasta; toss gently to coat. Add cheese, parsley, and black pepper; toss gently to combine. Season to taste with salt.

Travels to Texas Nation (part dos)

Next the Jedi flew us to Austin. On our way we experienced travel the "Texas way". Good thing the handle was tied with rope, or this guy would have rolled out.


Thanks to the Hilton, our hotel was great. Minus the fact that our bathroom leaked dirty shower water from above. Instead of moving us to a different room, an "engineer" brought a dry vac...

The warmer weather allowed us to eat outside. We ate roof-top at the Iron Cactus. More authentic Mexican food. I never new refried black beans and chicken enchiladas could taste so good. And my mom makes some great enchiladas.


People-watching at its finest. It's a great thing that we kept our dinner down, after seeing this hottie on the street.


A little tired, but the drive back to Iowa wasn't so bad. The Texas pride kept me smiling. Labeling their own McDonald's packaging, Bud bottles, and even overpasses. I love Texas.

Travels to Texas Nation

You know your life is awesome when you're living out the lyrics to a Pat Green song:
"Now we were southbound 35
We were headed down the road
Hit the border by the morning
To let Texas fill my soul
To let Texas fill my soul"

For four whole days Texas took over our souls. After the 14-hour drive, we spent our first couple days living the Temple life...checking out the Temple Mall, hanging out with the wonderful people we met at the VA hospital, and eating lots of greasy food.


Peter (from the VA), his wife, and his adorable 2-year-old son, invited us to dinner at Little Mexico. No doubt the best grilled tacos these taste buds have ever experienced. (Not that I've ever had grilled tacos before.)


We also experienced Whataburger for the first time. Not exactly In-N-Out, but it was still pretty decent. Instead of getting your own condiments, a lovely lady brought us a tray of napkins, condiments, and mints. And she liked us so much that we got a free order of fries. Quite a nice gig.


We also did some apartment hunting, in case Jordan ends up spending the next year in town. He decided on these swanky dwellings below. It's called Pecan Point. The place is really nice for the money, and it's about a 10 minute drive from the VA Hospital.

Another spin playlist

This afternoon I played substitute teacher and filled in for spin class. This was our playlist…

Rock & Roll…Eric Hutchinson
Time to Pretend…MGMT
If U Seek Amy…Britney Spears
I Wanna Be Sedated…The Ramones
Whatever You Like…T.I.
Thks Fr the Mmrs…Fall Out Boy
Poker Face…Lady GaGa
Cry For Help…Shinedown
All These Things That I’ve Done…The Killers
Paper Planes…MIA
Hand Clap…Hurricane Chris
Devour…Shinedown
I Caught Myself…Paramore

P.S. What does Fall Out Boy have against vowels?

Inhale. Exhale.

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
Matthew 11:28-30

24 Healthy Fast Foods

Loved this article from Fitness, especially since I'm about to hit the road. Fast food is inevitable.

The editors at Fitness have given me another reason to join the McDonald's Nugget Lover Club. And it was surprising to see that Jordan's favorite KFC mashed potatoes aren't that bad after all.

24 Surprisingly Healthy Fast Foods
Burgers, tacos, pizza: find out which of your fast-food favorites aren't so bad. Our list includes picks from KFC, McDonald's, Taco Bell, and more. Read me

Road Trip: Texas

This afternoon, Jordan and I are loading up the Jetta to head south. We're stopping in Kansas City tonight for some delicioso mexican food and laughs with Eric and Sarah. Then Thursday morning, we're headed to Temple for Jordan's interview at the VA hospital. Saturday we'll spend some time in Austin. Then the grand finale will be the 14-hour drive home on Sunday. I'm praying the GPS doesn't lead us astray.

YUM: Quick Campanelle with Peas

Monday night called for an occasion: girl's night. So Jules came over for dinner and a movie. We had Quick Campanelle with Peas, which I've made a couple times. It's a recipe that will probably stick around. It's quick and quite good. I've taken the artichokes out from the original recipe and have added more ham. I usually use whatever pasta I find in the cupboard. It works.

Quick Campanelle with Peas
Makes: 4 servings
Start to Finish: 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 8 ounces dried campanelle, radiatore or rotini pasta
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh tomato
• 1/2 cup finely shredded Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup black forest ham, cut in slivers
• Finely shredded Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese (optional)

Directions
Cook pasta according to package directions, adding frozen peas and minced garlic the last 3 minutes of cooking time. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup of the pasta water.

In a large serving bowl toss together drained pasta mixture, the pasta water, canned artichoke hearts (if using), tomato, the 1/2 cup Pecorino Romano cheese, olive oil, and pepper. Toss to combine. Sprinkle with ham and, if desired, additional shredded cheese.

http://my.hearthealthyonline.com/recipe/pasta/quick-campanelle-with-peas-and-artichokes/

This morning's spin playlist

In the early a.m., we rocked (and sweat) out to these tunes...

Kids...MGMT
Prayer of the Refugee...Rise Against
Gives you Hell...The All-American Rejects
Untouched...The Veronicas
I Don't Care...Fall Out Boy
Circus...Britney Spears
Rehab...Rihanna
Beat It...Fall Out Boy featuring John Mayer
Human...The Killers
Just Dance...Lady GaGa
Decode...Paramore

Love of goo

World of Goo Trailer 2 Director's Cut
by 2dboy

Need a new way to waste time? Perfect solution: World of Goo. Go to work for the World of Goo Corporation by building contraptions out of goo that drips, flies, and stretches. A must try.

You'll love it. I promise.

http://www.worldofgoo.com/

Adventures in snowboarding

There are some things in life that I'm learning to embrace. This winter, it's snow. I've come to accept that though snow is cold, messy, and not fun to scrape from your car, it may be useful for fun-having. So to help keep life interesting--and my boyfriend super happy--I'm learning to snowboard. Five snowboarding attempts later, I can "go" and sort of turn...stay tuned.

Every day, something to remember

Our lives are filled with moments that make us giggle, ponder, and stand in awe. This is my place to record those moments that I don't want to forget.