A Piece of My Heart!

"...so you want to change the world, what are you waiting for?  

Say, you're gonna start right now what are you waiting for...

I've been thinking a lot lately about my past mission trips.  Even though it's been a few years since I've last traveled to Honduras, it always seem like just yesterday I was there.  I most certainly left with a piece of Honduras and Faith Home in my heart, I most certainly left a piece of my heart there.  Through all the pictures that I took, that are scattered on the walls each place I have lived, I have that visual of what I brought back with me. Although, it will never compare to the memories I have within me that have changed my world forever.


While each time I was there I kept a journal for every trip.  Each night writing about the amazing things that we experienced, and yes, sometimes some of the trials and tribulations that occurred as well.  Although with every trial we may have experience God always brought us through it, seeing an amazing turn out.  As I go back through my journals, I read about the amazing friendships I made on these trips! I got to develop deeper friendships through our common focus.  Whether we were out on the field or back at the house gathered around talking about our day and experiences, or just relaxing playing cards and games.  It's amazing the smallest things that you can remember, sometimes are the funniest.  

When I first started these trips, I didn't know anyone!  And, by the time the week was up I felt like I had a another new family I never wanted to leave.  My first couple of trips being on a Medical/Dental team and a trip where we put together a VBS/Construction team.
Looking back over my journals, my first day I can still remember getting off the plane in San Pedro Sula and thinking it's really hot here!  This coming from a born and raised California (Central Valley) girl, before I moved back to the Mid-West.  So the humidity experience took some getting used to. :-)   That and riding the bus from the airport to Faith Home.  Seeing the culture and the way of living just by driving down the road.  It's enough to know that we have so much where we live.  Granted that there are the 'bad' areas of our country, but seeing the shacks by the side of the road that people are living in, are real eye openers.  Sometimes we don't tend to think of certain things as luxuries.  How we can get in our car, start the engine and drive down to Starbucks for a coffee, knowing that we get back home we have an air conditioned/heated house to come back to.

But not only are we here to bring them some medical attention but were here to share the Good News of Christ to those who may have never even heard anything about Salvation.  We can be the hands and feet, the light that shines the love of Christ to so many people!

Likewise, the same goes for the people we see daily here in our country.  We don't know where they come from, what they have been taught or haven't been taught or what they're going through.  This is why I love Christian Drama!  I can share the message of Christ through performing a skit or a dance.  When I'm rehearsing a drama that I feel led to, I have no idea who is going to see it or hear it.  I may never meet the person affected by my outreach from performing in large crowds.  But if my words could reach that one person and that one person could take that to heart and share with another and so on, then God's Word can spread through our Nation.

God has blessed us in so many ways, using each an everyone of us in the way that He feels best.  Even though we may not always tend to see it or it may not seem as it's happening when WE want it to happen.  God has are ROAD MAP planned out an HE has HIS own timing planned out for each and everyone of us.  Don't we sometimes tend to ask God 'Why?' or 'When?'  'Why does this happen?' 'When is this going to happen for me?'  I still love that verse from Jerimiah 29:11, 'for I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord....'  Because God does have a plan for each and everyone of us.  He uses each of us differently in what He see's best for us.  If your just willing.....willing to be used by God, willing to let God use you.  Willing to let God make you a blessing to someone else.
Thank you God for using me, help me continue to show your love to others!

Sometime patience is always an issue isn't it?  Although we tend to not want to wait for the 'right' timing, we know that there's a plan for us and when we let ourselves in on God's plan for us, things tend to fall into place a whole lot better.

Father God, you know I don't like to wait, you know I'm not good at waiting.  Please cultivate in my heart the patience to WAIT and to trust YOU.  God give me the strength to lean on you and give it to you.  It's your time, you know the plans that you have for me.


And now just a few of my favorite pictures I found from my past trips!

My first roommates on
the Med/Dental Team! :-)

Surrounded by children we helped treat on the Med Team

my med team-mates from my 2nd yr!

Christina and I worked the Vitamin/Worming Station

Oh how I do wish I could remember the
silly songs we made for being the worm girls!!! :-)
There were so many!!!!

Me, Jami and Kristina from '07

me with my construction team-mates, kenna and chalae!

VBS

Lovely Words...

Chocolate Chip Cookies!

Home-made Chocolate Chip Cookies!!! Yum!!! :-)

Chocolate Chip Cookies!

Who doesn't love GREAT chocolate chip cookies?  Let me just say, these are some of the best I have ever made and tasted!  Sometimes nothing taste better than a warm chocolate chip cookie and a glass of cold milk.  I found this recipe in one of my FAVORITE cookbooks (from Point of Grace).  There are some great tips to making THE BEST chocolate cookie you have ever had!  AND....THEY ARE AMAZING COOKIES!!!! :-)

Here's the recipe: Just thought I would share with you...so grab some cookies and a nice glass of milk and enjoy an amazing snack! :-)

1 cup butter flavored shortening (butter flavored taste better) :-)
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1 egg
1 t. vanilla
2 1/4 cups flour
1 t. salt
1 t. baking soda
1 1/2 T. milk
10 oz. chocolate chips

First - mix by hand, so not to get to much air into the batter, which will produce a 'cakey' texture.
  1.  Preheat over to 350.
  2.  In large bowl, cream shortening and sugars together by hand until well mixed.
  3.  Add vanilla and egg and continue mixing by hand. (less egg that a traditional recipe for a chewier        texture)
  4.  Add flour mixture, a little at a time (dough will be stiff) mix well.
  5.  Add milk, mix well.
  6.  Mix in chocolate chips.
  7.  Drop by teaspoonfuls onto un-greased cookie sheet - 1 1/2 inches apart.
  8.  Bake for 10-12 minutes or until starting to brown on top.
  9.  Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes.  (cookies will crumble if you don't let the cookies coll for a few minutes before removing them.
 10.  Remove cookies from sheet and continue cooling on wire rack.

Makes 3-4 dozen  :-)

The best cookbook I have found!
Some great and easy recipes in here! :)

ENJOY!!!

Words to ponder...

Baking with Blueberries!

So this past week we went out to a farm here in Modesto to pick our own blueberries and cherries.  We found Ott Farms -- a huge orchard full of great fresh fruit!  And, yes they are on Facebook for directions on how to get there. :-) 
But, anyway...after picking so many blueberries, I just had to try a couple of new recipes.  I found a recipe for blueberry muffins just browsing the Internet on all-recipes.com and I found a buttermilk-blueberry breakfast cake from Pinterest a while ago.  Both recipes came out amazing and are both defiantly keepers.    So I just thought I would share a little bit about these great recipes on here.

Blueberry Muffins

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

• 3/4 cup white sugar

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1/3 cup vegetable oil

• 1 egg

• 1/3 cup milk

• 1 cup fresh blueberries

• 1/2 cup white sugar

• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour

• 1/4 cup butter, cubed

• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 
  
• Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease muffin cups or line with muffin liners.
2. Combine 1 1/2 cups flour, 3/4 cup sugar, salt and baking powder. Place vegetable oil into a 1 cup measuring cup; add the egg and enough milk to fill the cup. Mix this with flour mixture. Fold in blueberries. Fill muffin cups right to the top, and sprinkle with crumb topping mixture.
3. To Make Crumb Topping: Mix together 1/2 cup sugar, 1/3 cup flour, 1/4 cup butter, and 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon. Mix with fork, and sprinkle over muffins before baking.
4. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until done.

Buttermilk-Blueberry Breakfast Cake

Ingredients
2 tsp. lemon zest or more — zest from 1 large lemon
7/8 cup* + 1 tablespoon sugar**
1 egg, room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2 cups fresh blueberries
½ cup buttermilk
** This 1 tablespoon is for sprinkling on top

½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature

* 7/8 cup = 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons

Directions

1.. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Cream butter with lemon zest and 7/8 cup of the sugar until light and fluffy.

(I didn't have a lemon this time so I left the lemon zest out and it still came out great!)

2. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until combined. Meanwhile, toss the blueberries with ¼ cup of flour, then whisk together the remaining flour, baking powder and salt.

3. Add the flour mixture to the batter a little at a time, alternating with the buttermilk. Fold in the blueberries.

4. Grease a 9-inch square baking pan (or something similar) with butter or coat with non-stick spray. Spread batter into pan. Sprinkle batter with remaining tablespoon of sugar. Bake for 35 minutes. Check with a toothpick to see if done. If necessary, return pan to oven for a couple of more minutes. (Note: Baking for as long as 10 minutes more might be necessary.) Let cool at least 15 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!!!

You were meant for great things

Be Yourself!!!

As I was listening to one of my daily inspirational messages today, it was all about 'being yourself' and 'not comparing yourself to others.'  Here are a couple insights of ways to be yourself and who you were created to be.

1.  Find yourself and define yourself!
There's a great quote by Oscar Wilde, "Be yourself, everyone else is taken."

2.  Avoid fixating on the past and not letting yourself grow!
Don't be defined by your past errors, move forward to be someone new.

3.  STOP caring about how other people perceive you!
Some people will like you and some people won't. You have to be who you are!

4.  Be HONEST and OPEN!
Be willing to learn from your mistakes and grow from them.

5.  Relax!!!
Take a deep breath in and let it out....Don't worry about things.  Let it go! Surrender!
There's that old saying, to let go and let God!  Give your worries to God, let Him help you handle your problems and worries...trust me you'll feel so much better when you LET GO!

6.  Treat yourself as you would treat you best friend.
Would you say some of the things you say to yourself to you best friend...probably not.  So why put yourself down.  Instead build yourself up like you would build up your best friend.
I saw this saying a while ago, it says, STOP the negative thoughts...YOU are beautiful!  You were created for so much more than you ever know.  You were made for great things.

7.  Develop and Express your own individuality.
Be your own character.  Don't let other people characterize your own style.  Be different.  Be an individual. Choose your own style.  Be creative.  You are the only you!


8.  STOP comparing yourself to others!
Be your own person!  You were created unique.  You are fearfully and wonderfully made.

There's a quote I heard recently, "don't compare yourself to other people because God anoints us all in different ways' -- Joyce Meyer.

9.  Follow your own style.
You're special because you're unique! Be different!

AND....

10. Accept that some days you're the pigeon and some days you're the statue.
Because sometimes things go your way and well....sometimes they don't; because as we all may know what happens to statues when a pigeon is above them.  Yeah, you can probably use you imagination to see that one.

Someone once said that there are 2 things you should know in life...ONE being the day you were born and TWO being the day you knew WHY.
Which leads me to the story that was told about The Pencil.  

Parable Of The Pencil

The Pencil Maker took the pencil aside, just before putting him into the box. 

"There are 5 things you need to know," he told the pencil, "Before I send you out into the world. Always remember them and never forget, and you will become the best pencil you can be."
     "One: You will be able to do many great things, but only if you allow yourself to be held in Someone's hand."
     "Two: You will experience a painful sharpening from time to time, but you'll need it to become a better pencil."
     "Three: You will be able to correct any mistakes you might make."
     "Four: The most important part of you will always be what's inside."
     "And Five: On every surface you are used on, you must leave your mark. No matter what   the condition, you must continue to write."
The pencil understood and promised to remember, and went into the box with purpose in its heart.

Now replacing the place of the pencil with you.  Always remember them and never forget, and you will become the best person you can be.
     One: You will be able to do many great things, but only if you allow yourself to be held in God's hand. And allow other human beings to access you for the many gifts you possess.
     Two: You will experience a painful sharpening from time to time, by going through various problems in life, but you'll need it to become a stronger person.
     Three: You will be able to correct any mistakes you might make.
     Four: The most important part of you will always be what's on the inside.
     And Five: On every surface you walk through, you must leave your mark. No matter what the situation, you must continue to do your duties.

Allow this parable on the pencil to encourage you to know that you are a special person and only you can fulfill the purpose to which you were born to accomplish.
Never allow yourself to get discouraged and think that your life is insignificant and cannot make a change.

Evansville Courier and Press

So I found one of my articles I submitted to the Evansville Courier and Press back in 2008.  So I thought I would add the link to this blog.


http://www.courierpress.com/news/2008/nov/13/student-directed-plays-fill-oakland-city-u-stage/

Chicken Salad Sandwiches

What can I say, food is great!  Especially when you can find a great recipe that is good for you as well!


I came across this recipe in one of my cookbooks.  I finally decided to try it for lunch one day.  It really does make a great sandwich for lunch.  (I made it for lunch and chilled for 10 minutes and had lunch right away)  PLUS...if you use low-fat or fat free ingredients it's perfect for any diet plan.  :-)


Leigh's Chicken Salad

10.5 oz. canned chicken, drained

1/2 cup cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup mayonnaise -- your favorite kind :-)

1/2 cup grapes, cut in half

1 Granny Smith apple, cut in small bites with skin left on

1/2 wedge of freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted (Optional)

salt and pepper to taste

1.  Mix ingredients together.

2.  Chill for 4 hours or overnight

Serve on favorite bread or crackers.  I used Orowheat 100% Wholewheat Sandwich Thins.


Enjoy!!!

Today I Dare to Be..............

Daring to be....

A couple weeks ago, I read a blog from Natalie Grant (recording artist).  She presented people with a challenge, a challenge to step out of their comfort zone and dare to be more of something they tend to struggle with.   I wanted to share her blog on here as well, so we all can dare to be the kind of girl that God has called us to be.  Through our faith, we can do anything through Christ.  

(from nataliegrant.com) 

"If you’re anything like me, you have a catalog in your mind of some pivotal moments in your life when different people may have said “you can’t…”

Some of those defining moments have stayed with me, influenced me, kept me from believing that I am who God says that I am.

But the more I have discovered about Jesus and the more I learn of His thoughts towards me, what once were deafening and defeating statements, are replaced by the Truth of God.

I’m calling on all my girlfriends to rise up and be a part of a revolution. That together, with one voice, the earth would hear us, as the sisterhood of God say, “yes, we can.”

My challenge to not worry, be afraid or scared but to
rely on  God to get me through and renew my strength!

Dare To Be is a call for women to stand and say “I am who God says that I am. I can be what God says I can be. I can do what God has asked me to do.” If we could begin to see what God sees when He looks at us, how would that change our lives, marriages, families, communities and the world?

When Jesus asked Peter to walk on the water, I’m betting there were many “I can’t” thoughts that initially crossed his mind. But because Peter dared to believe and trust, Jesus accomplished the impossible through his life. He wants to do the same through us. Jesus didn’t say, “I’m sorry, Peter, but water-walking is for Messiahs only.” No, he said one simple word: Come. God is daring us to do impossible things by faith.

This is what I am asking of you. Throughout the week, I want you, daughter of the King, to dare to believe & live 1 thing God has called you to be.
So, what will you DARE TO BE? Love, kindness, hope, courage, joy, peace, justice, freedom, empowered, uncompromising, forgiving, whole....Natalie Grant

“I can do all things through CHRIST…”(Phil 4:13) – and so can YOU!

We can all think of times in our lives where we have not done something because we were either told we couldn't do it or we were afraid that we couldn't do it.  When we dare to step our of our comfort zone, to step out with our faith and to be the girl that we are called to be by our God, we can accomplish anything we set our hearts to.  As we put aside the "I cant's and You can'ts"  and change our words to the "I cans," bigger things can happen.  We can change our world, if only we change our words, not in only how we talk but how we think; because, as most of us know we 'think' more than we 'talk.'  So what are you 'daughter of the King of Kings' daring to be each week?  Step what to the person that God has called you to be....and just remember you are fearfully and wonderfully made and a child of the King!  YOU ARE LOVED!

**Video attachment of Natalie Grant's song, "Daring to be"

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