"Quiet Time"

Daily I struggle with how to wisely use "my" time.  I fight my own desire with setting my own schedule, and not turning to someone wiser, who created time and has my days numbered.  I struggle with discerning how God wants me to use it, who does He want me to encourage or support, what does He want me to accomplish, the list goes on....

I try to pray for wisdom and discernment in how to best use my time and for God to help me to know "my time" is not just my time... but His.

I long for time alone. I rarely dislike being alone. I've always been that way. I am most "still" when I am alone and my soul craves that.

So when I get alone time, I tend to feel an internal struggle with how to use it and how to protect it. Sometimes, I don't want to "share" it and sadly, sometimes that means I neglect to set aside some of that time to spend with the Lord. I want to spend time in His word, growing, learning and drawing closer to Him through that time.

I struggle with just "sitting down" and reading His word.  I know it can be a challenge to do when you’re a mom of little ones. I usually have time in the afternoon when my son is napping and my daughter is in quiet time playing. But I still feel the lure of that perpetual "to-do" list.

While I am not striving for perfection, I do feel I can improve in my being intentional about time reading God's Word... His instructions for my life...His way of being in relationship with me and me with Him.

I am not proud of my struggle, but I recognize it for what it is. Sometimes I have even noticed, that when I spend time reading the Word, I can't get enough of it, and I don't want to stop.  Also, I find myself feeling irritated if I get interrupted while I am spending time with the Lord.  So the pendulum swings the other way.

So where's my balance?

I've prayed a lot about this and part of me feels like God is trying to tell me to do as Christ did.

Mark 1:35 "Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went to a solitary place, where he prayed."

Ideally, I could do this at this point in my life- the kids all sleep through the night. I'd have time to myself with the Lord, then be prepared and armed with the Word of God to start my day as opposed to later in the afternoon where I've already been through most of my day. Then when nap/quiet time rolls around in the afternoon I could use that time to accomplish some of the other things of the day and not allow my time with God to be pushed aside.

I've always been a "Night Owl." So I don't know how this will look for me, but I can't help but feel like this is what He is guiding me to do. It's been on my heart for quite some time. And this is how He speaks to us... to me. He is a gentleman, gently and patiently putting things on our hearts and shaping us to follow His Will.

And the other thing...

Simon and his companions sought out Jesus and perhaps interrupted the Lord's prayer time with the Heavenly Father. But Jesus didn't act selfishly, he didn't get angry and he didn't refuse them and tell them to go away. He simply joined them and went on about his day’s journey and quite literally fought demons.

So now the question is... "Am I prepared to do the same... how about you?"

4th of July Potato Salad

Happy 4th of July!  I thought I would share one of my favorite recipes.  It is the best potato salad ever and one of my favorite side dishes to bring to a BBQ.  So if your heading to a BBQ this weekend and you need a recipe, this one will deliver!  Enjoy and have a great weekend!

Ingredients
• 2 pounds red new potatoes, quartered and cut into 3/4-inch chunks
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1-2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar (add each tbsp. per taste preference)
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions, plus more for garnish
• 4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled, for garnish
Directions
1. In a large pot, cover potatoes with salted water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Simmer until potatoes are tender when pierced with the tip of a sharp paring knife, 12 to 15 minutes. Drain well.
2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together sour cream and mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar; add warm potatoes, and gently fold to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Cover; refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.
3. To serve, season salad again with salt and pepper, if needed; fold in scallions. Garnish with bacon and more scallions, if desired.

Just a few side notes:  If you don’t want to bother with frying your bacon, cook it in the microwave, oven or you can buy it already cooked. This recipe was adapted from a Martha Stewart’s recipe; I changed the sour cream and mayo to regular from light and added the apple cider vinegar. I have made it in the past with light mayo and light sour cream… still good but not as rich in flavor. I’ve also made it with half- light sour cream and regular mayo, still great. All depends on your dietary preferences.  Lastly, this recipe makes a small serving, I always double or triple this recipe so there is plenty to share.  It never goes to waste.

Skipping Among Her Milestones

Seasoned mothers have told me, "Enjoy her while she's little... time will fly by." I would smile and respond in agreement. While holding my daughter as an infant I would try to envision what time flying by really looked like. As a mother, I have tried to savor each day of my sweet, lively-spirited, six-year-olds life. While there are some days she brings me to my knees, other days she makes me smile, slow down and remember that life is a great JOY and walking through it is, optional! We believe her motto is, "Why walk when you can skip?" My husband and I have wondered if Avery still remembers how to walk? She literally skips everywhere she goes, and it makes us laugh!

Just over ten months ago, I watched her skip hand-in-hand with a friend into her kindergarten classroom. I stood on the sidelines and held back the flood gate, wondering where time had gone. And now here we are ten months later and we survived! In fact, we thrived! Avery thrived! She was blessed with a wonderful kindergarten teacher who nurtured so much in Avery’s soul. Avery has grown in so many ways over this past school year. She once was reading her alphabet, now she knows how to read words, books! She has developed a great love for science and nature and would define her best days by creating art all day. She is sharp as a tack in doing addition in her head and amazes us with her memory. Before and after school she spent her time writing "books", which consisted of stapling a stack of 8 1/2 x 11 inch papers together and writing and illustrating them. At the beginning of the school year, she wrote her name in manuscript, but is now asking me to teach her cursive and can write her name in cursive. She has accomplished so much over the past year and is growing into such a precious young girl.

Over this past year, God has put a special plan on our hearts. While in some ways this plan has caught us by surprise (mostly my dear husband), we are thrilled to see what He has in store for us! As Avery has accomplished this special milestone in "graduating" kindergarten, we are celebrating with joyful noise over her past education in private and public schooling and gratefully anticipating her growth as we transition into her 1st year with homeschooling! We are amazed where God has brought us to and can hardly wait to begin. We believe God has great plans in store for our family.

To our pleasant surprise, Avery is quite excited about homeschooling. We have received great support and blessings from our family and friends as we have shared our news. Of course, the first question everyone asks us is, "What made you decide to homeschool?” We are still learning how to share that answer, but we have “researched” homeschooling extensively and God has brought countless homeschool families into our lives to share and advise us in our decision. He provided for us conferences and homeschool networks to attend and piles of books, CD’s, DVD's, online information and homeschooling blogs to learn from. And when it came down to it, homeschooling was a decision that was placed in my husband’s and God’s hands. It took several months for the final decision to be made, but with my husband’s blessing and God's clear, peaceful confirmation we are ready to start this exciting journey ahead! We feel God's Hand upon us as we take this leap of faith.

We are excited! We love learning! We LOVE books! We are happy about more time with one another. We love the gift of choosing our own faith-based curriculum and having enough time in the day to devote to learning about Christ and working on our character. We joyfully anticipate the opportunity to spend time with other homeschooling families, teach lessons together and go on adventurous field trips. We love the ability of mastering a concept and moving at our own pace and exploring the world through unit studies. And we get to do science projects and create ART, ART and more ART! We think the idea of lying outside on a blanket and doing math and spelling is awesome! We are certain there is so much more; we have no idea what is in store for us with homeschooling and we are thrilled to be given this gift of time and learning together as a family. Most of all, as Avery’s parents, we will get to see her "skip among her milestones” even more at home than if she were away each day. We are thrilled! Stay tuned for more about the start of our homeschooling journey.

By the way....those mothers were right! Where have the last six years gone?

His Why

I grew up in a small town in Kentucky. Radcliff was one of those towns that was "safe". We could go off and explore the woods near our home and mom rarely worried. We could ride our bikes, literally all over town. It wasn't Mayberry, but it was still small. Most of the friends I graduate from high school with, were friends I started elementary school with. I grew up feeling a part of a community and I was blessed to have many friends share my entire childhood school years with me.

As safe as it felt, and as close knit as it could be; we were not immune to pain, sorrow or loss. As a young child, heaven became very real to me. I learned at a very young age that life is not to be taken for granted and that there is so much more to live for than just this lifetime. I was impacted by eternity before I could comprehend it.  Today, at 36 years old... I still cannot comprehend it, but I am trying.

As I was becoming a teen, I learned that sometimes children are called home to heaven before their parents. At thirteen, I was asking a question that I am most certain went all the way back to Eve. Eve was the first woman on earth and she was the first mother. She was also the first mother to bury her child. I am most certain... she was the first mother to ask the question of “Why?”, as she grieved.

On May14, 1988, as our community learned of the tragedy of the Carrolton Bus Accident where we lost so many loved ones, we found ourselves asking, "Why?". We witnessed so many mothers and fathers, families...bury their sweet children. We too, couldn't help but to ask, "Why?".

It was through the accident that God gave me a gift and impacted me eternally. I came to know Jesus through that tragedy.

This Saturday, May 28th is the 8th anniversary of my sweet little girls’ birth. I would have an 8 year old right now... Payton would be 8. How has 8 years passed already?  I say it in a way that expresses speed... yet I also say it in a way that translates...disbelief. How ever have we lived this long without her? Over the past 8 years, I have asked a lot of "Why's?”. Some I have answers to... some I am still working on... some I am certain will not come this side of eternity.

Since May of 1988, my eyes were forever opened to the sensitivity, yet commonality of child loss. While working at UC Davis Children's Hospital in pediatrics, I witnessed so many sweet children's untimely deaths. I saw and heard the "Why's?”, I felt them too.

Over this past week I have been following the tragic loss of lives and homes to the Midwest tornados. I have been particularly touched by one beautiful family who lost their two sweet little boys. This family also suffered serious injuries to another child, to the pregnant mom and the loss of their home. I don't know this family, I have just been deeply touched by what they have gone through. Never wanting to see another mother or father bury their child(ren). So many questions of, "Why?".

I can't help but to wonder how many more "Why's" I might ask in my lifetime... I pray to be spared from any more of my own personal ones.... but know that that is not likely. Not to sound like a pessimist, it is just reality. We were never promised to be spared loss and grief, death became an option from the start of Adam and Eve's free will.  But what we were promised is to never be left alone... to never be abandoned. To be loved. Redemption is Promised. Hope and Great Plans are Promised. And not just the Hope of heaven is Promised (not to minimize heaven) but the Hope of a "New Earth!"

I've recently been reading more about heaven lately. I guess I have felt ready to “fully release” the very real reality that that is where Payton is. I have certainly sought it out before...but something has changed in me lately. I think that “thing” that has changed is, I am finding myself desiring less to ask... "Why?".

I surrender.

From Eve, to May 14th, to Payton, to that sweet family to..... I am tired of asking, "Why?".

While I know it is ok to ask the question, "Lord what have you done...? Why have you allowed this?" I am tired of asking it. I went back and read Genesis 3:13. Even God himself asks Eve... "What have you done?". But the difference is HUGE! Perhaps not even comparable. This comparison is almost more than I can wrap my finite mind around.

But what I take from it is this: 

God didn't have to or even need to ask that question of Eve. He knew. But he loved her enough to hear her words. While great tragedy occurred and great consequences came... God heard her.

And when Christ was on the cross, moments before he took his last breath... he too asked, "Why?" and it was then, that God himself... lost His Child.

The answer to His "Why?".... to finish God's Work.

Because of that "Why", I will see my friends in heaven someday.  I will hold my sweet Payton again never to say goodbye ever again.  And the family whose sons died and so many others will be with their sweet children, again and we will be with our Father God... someday.

So as Saturday approaches... this is what I want to celebrate and focus my heart and love on...

"HIS WHY".

Happy 8th Birthday Sweet Baby Girl... until heaven!

 Aside from the Bible... here are a few books I recommend reading on grief and heaven:
*Heaven by Randy Alcorn
*Confessions of a Grieving Christian by Zig Ziglar
*Heaven is Real by Todd Burpo

Hungarian Hot Sausage and Lentil Stoup

Anyone who knows me, knows I LOVE TO EAT!  Since I love to eat and wish to eat a lot... I do try to make the most out of what I eat.  That is, I try to eat healthy, so I get the most out of each calorie.  I wouldn't say this recipe is the healthiest(due to the pork fat), but it is delicious!  My husband and I loved it and are adding it to our regular menu list.  I followed the exact recipe this time around and thoroughly enjoyed it, but next time I am going to change things up a bit and healthy it up even more.  In the original recipe, Hot Italian Pork Sausage is called for... which was amazing!  But ideally I'd like my fat intake in this recipe to be a little lower.  So next time I am going to buy a spicy turkey or chicken sausage, rather than pork.  I am also going to try the recipe with low-fat or fat-free chicken broth or even vegetable broth, I really don't think it will affect the flavor all that much.  The rest is great for you:  carrots, portabella mushrooms, potatoes, fire roasted tomatoes, lentils (a great source of iron, fiber and protein) and KALE(can we say Cancer Fighting Properties!!!)!  I don't know about you, but this is one leafy green I don't get very much of and I am short on recipes for, so I was thrilled to squeeze this great whole food into my diet.  I will say this recipe did not go over well with my kiddos it was just too spicy for them.  I could change it next time and cook it with a mild sausage and even turkey burger.  But this is one of those dinners where I bend the rules a bit and play short order cook and make my kids something just for them, so we can have the spice!  It's a win-win!  Try it, you'll love it and the left-overs are even tastier!  I am sure it would freeze well too.  My kind of dish!  

Hungarian Hot Sausage and Lentil Stoup

Prep Time: 15 min
Cook Time: 30 min
Serves:4 servings

•2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan

•1 1/2 pounds bulk hot Italian sausage

•3 cloves garlic, chopped

•1 medium onion, chopped

•2 portabella mushrooms, gills scraped out, chopped

•1 cup pre-shredded carrots, available in sacks in produce department of the market

•1 cup lentils

•1 large starchy potato, peeled and chopped

•Salt and pepper

•1 bay leaf, fresh or dried

•2 teaspoons smoked paprika (or substitute a mix of 2 teaspoons cumin, 1 teaspoon sweet paprika and 2 pinches cayenne pepper)

•3 sprigs fresh rosemary, in tact on stems

•1 (14-ounce) can fire roasted chopped tomatoes, such as Muir Glenn or, regular diced tomatoes

•6 cups chicken stock

•4 cups kale or chard, a small bunch, veins removed and chopped

Heat a medium soup pot over medium high heat. Add extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan, then add sausage to pot and brown and crumble it, then add garlic, onions and mushrooms. Cook a few minutes, then add carrots, lentils, potato, salt and pepper, bay leaf, paprika or substitute mixture and rosemary (leaves will fall from stems as stoup cooks). Add tomatoes and broth and cover pot then raise heat to high and bring to a boil. Uncover pot and place heat back a bit but keep stoup at a good rolling boil. Cook 15 minutes until lentils and potatoes are tender. Wilt in greens in small bunches, remove rosemary stems and turn off heat. Let stand 5 minutes. Serve in shallow bowls with bread and butter to mop up stoup. Reheat leftovers thinning it with broth or water.

Original Source:  Rachael Ray



Happy 6th Birthday... Our Sweet Avery Mae

Today is our little girls 6th birthday.  Where has the time gone?  I look at her and I can still see that sweet newborn that laid on my chest in the hospital shortly after she was born.  I remember feeling so full of love that I thought I would burst.  I remember being so tired and dozing off while resting in the reclined hospital bed and snuggling with her on my chest, doing skin-to-skin and waking up and being so enamored with how beautiful she was.  She was amazing!  She was both everything and nothing I had ever dreamed of.  Her sister Payton, was so fair and light haired... so when she was born with a giant wig on her little head that was as dark as her daddy's hair, I was shocked and couldn't believe half of her came from me!  Her 1/8th Cuban ethnicity really came out.  As we examined her sweet little body, we laughed at all the hair that covered her full-term, 9 lbs 2 oz. body.  Even on her little ears!  She was a little werewolf! 

So, 6 years have passed and she is still our hairy little mama!  She will someday be embarrassed by this, but my husband trimmed her nose hairs the other day!  It was quite the sight and memory.  We were all in the bathroom observing and laughing about what was about to take place.  I said to my husband, "There's something a little off about you trimming your almost six year old daughters nose hairs."  We laughed and continue to laugh about it.  The poor Bazzocco side of the family got blamed for the hairy gene, and we got a great laugh out of it all. 

Avery is our hearts delight!  She is both spunky and sweet.  A for sure fire cracker!  We honestly are not sure she knows how to walk anymore, as she skips everywhere she goes... literally!  Even from the kitchen to the bathroom and back.  Sometimes it drives me bonkers, but it reminds me what a joyful, free spirit she has... and that, I am thankful for.  Avery loves doing anything and everything artsy and crafty, yes the apple does not fall far from the tree.  She loves playing with her friends, watching t.v. (despite our limiting it), reading and being read to, eating, and going to Tap/Ballet class.  She has many wonderful gifts and we love seeing what God does in her life and what He has planned for her future. 

So today... Sweet Avery Mae... our little hairy momma!  We love you, we adore you, we are proud of you, we are honored to be your parents and we celebrate this memorable day that God blessed us and showed us His plans for us in giving us you, sweet girl.  Happy Birthday to you....

Love Mommy, Daddy, Ben Ben and always Payton

Full of Grace and Seasoned with Salt

In Old and New Testament times, the mineral salt had many roles.  Some of its roles were:  a seasoning, an object for trade, a ceremonial tool, a food preservative, a symbol of friendships and covenants, and lastly a disinfectant.  A disinfectant!  I don’t know about you, but I stay away from salt scrubs and use only sugar scrubs.  Salt in a wound brings pain!  Salt was also used in the New Testament to teach us about how to act towards one another.  The Gospel Mark said, “…Have salt among yourselves, and be at peace with each other.” (Mark 9:50)

Over this past weekend, I was pruning some plants in my garden when I came across one of God’s little creatures... a snail.  As soon as I saw him, I felt what every fellow gardener feels, “THIS WAR IS ON!” I wanted to rid my garden of this burdensome pest and act quickly to find a natural way to remove him from the premises. But instead of running for the salt shaker, sorry I couldn’t resist, I ran for my camera. I must say, he was the cutest thing I had seen in quite some time and I had to capture this little guy. As I snapped shots of him, I studied his design. Everything from his retractable tentacle eyes, to his beautifully designed protective shell, to his slime-trail-leaving body that’s actually a giant foot, it was all obviously designed for a great purpose. While the snail gets a bad rap in the gardening world, his creation actually has some valuable purpose. Two of the little snails purposes are to; help recycle organic matter creating nutrient rich soil and serve as an excellant food source to other creatures. While they serve some beneficial purpose, pouring on the salt is one sure way to get rid of them.


As I went on with my pruning, I thought about how as a Christian I could relate to the snail. My creation was wonderfully designed and I too have great purpose. But sometimes when I feel threatened, and I feel like others are burdened by me, I retract and coil up in my shell, too. All in an attempt to protect myself from the wounding that might occur or is occurring by another I am sharing with. But I know I was created for God’s purpose, to be used in sharing with others about Christ. But I have to remember that sometimes in doing so; I too might be seen as a burdensome pest. But where I desire to differ from the garden snail, is the salt.


Colossians tells us to let our conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that we may know how to answer everyone. We are called to be wise in the way we act toward others who do not know Christ and to make the most out of every opportunity. We are encouraged to draw others in with our “salt” allowing the things we share to be “tasty” and “enticing” rather than disrespectful and threatening. Rather than expelling others with my salt, I am to use it to attract others. I am not to use it to “disinfect” or to so-called, “rub salt in their wounds”. But to use it to invite and to share in the beauty of Christ and the purpose of His creation from our Father God.  To guide and encourage others to grow closer to Christ and to learn how deeply loved and perfectly designed they are by God.  So that they may know His Grace and live life closely to Him.  A true gift, a true purpose to live by.  I invite you too, to share your salt.