My Grocery Store Favorites | Homemade Edition
23 April 2020
1.) Naan Bread (LINK HERE)
We love Naan. We enjoy it with hummus as a snack. The base for creating our own personal pizzas. With a spicy dish. Anything. Its just that good. It is a little pricy normally and getting harder to find in the stores so I thought I'd try and make it at home. I was cautiously optimistic and it ended up turning out well. Naan feels like comfort and transports me right back to a meal we had in disney a few years ago at Saana. Enjoy!
2.) Creme Brûlée Coffee Creamer (LINK HERE)
My favorite coffee creamers are also getting harder to find in stock. I love creme brûlée anything and the flavor in coffee tastes almost as decadent as the real dessert. So here's an at home version minus all of the preserving chemicals. I used real whole milk products for mine.
3.) Electrolyte Replenishing Drink (LINK HERE)
Sports drinks can also be expensive and getting increasingly harder to find. I've been making this recipe for about 4 years now after my chiropractor suggested that I try it in an effort to and rehydrate the cushioning between my spinal vertebrate. Now we use it for so much more including when we're sick or just in need of some extra hydration.
4.) Popsicles -- Immune Boosting | Feel Better Pops (LINK HERE)
My girls are popsicle junkies! But again-- getting hard to find at times. These provide popsicles for them and immune boosting ingredients to make me feel good about their little bodies. I eased up on the ginger just a tiny bit for their palette but I still throw some in there because of the benefits. I've made it with fresh ginger and with ground-- both work well. I also bought my popsicle mold on amazon a few years ago. They are easy to find online and there are many mold options. We have the classic style 8 popsicle mold and get our popsicle sticks from the dollar store in the craft section.
Enjoy!
Stay sane and stay healthy.
Release the Control
02 April 2020
Today I struggled. I rode that struggle bus from morning to evening. Worry after worry. Fear-filled thought and fear-filled thought running rampant in my brain like this virus, changing my brain chemistry to fight or flight. I started praying continuously. I begged God for a reprieve. I became annoyed when I wasn't getting instant relief and gratification. I put on worship music, turning it up loud and sang out knowing full well that Satan operates in the spirit realm and he cannot stand our worship especially when set to music.
"For God’s Word is something to sing about!
He is true to his promises, his word can be trusted,
and everything he does is reliable and right.
The Lord loves seeing justice on the earth.
Anywhere and everywhere you can find his faithful, unfailing love!"
Psalm 33: 4-5
I quickly sent out texts to my community-- "Hey! I'm drowning in the enemies lies..pray for me, please." They did. They showed up spiritually on the other end of the phone and went to battle with me. I craved peace. I yearned for relief from my anxious feelings. I hungered to hear from God but I couldn't kick that nasty little devil off of my shoulder. The lump in my throat kept growing, my blood pressure rising. I tried to praise louder, deeper but I kept being met at every turn with a fiery roadblock.
"His destiny-plan for the earth stands sure.
His forever-plan remains in place and will never fail.
12 Blessed and prosperous is that nation who has God as their Lord!
They will be the people he has chosen for his own."
Psalm 33: 11-12
I feel like that is what is happening currently-- the walls of Hell must be on fire. God's enemies are fighting to keep the nations saturated in fear. Tossing out roadblocks upon roadblocks. For every reassuring article that is published, there are three more fear-based articles. The enemy has to be eating up every word that is dripping in alarm. Every panic-induced moment. Every tear. Every depressing thought. Every moment that you're feeling discontent. Don't let him have those victories over us because our God is so much bigger than he is. And all the while the Holy Spirit is steadily whispering to us. I picture this whisper to be a light breeze, breathy and laced with patience-- saying, don't look down just keep your eyes on me! Jesus is watching us observing how we handle crisis, do we turn to Him for our answers or do we turn to others for what only he can provide?
"The Lord looks over us from where he rules in heaven.
Gazing into every heart from his lofty dwelling place,
he observes all the peoples of the earth.
The Creator of our hearts considers and examines everything we do.
Even if a king has the best-equipped army,
it would never be enough to save him.
Even if the best warrior went to battle,
he could not be saved simply by his strength alone.
Human strength and the weapons of man
are false hopes for victory;
they may seem mighty but they will always disappoint."
Psalm 33: 13-17
As the day was coming to an end and I was standing at the sink washing dishes, for what felt like the hundredth time. The same few thoughts kept coming back to me. That morning when I woke up before all of the anxiousness settled deep into my shoulders I had a song laid on my heart and a few thoughts that kept coming to me. Such as, be still we are not in control. Be still, doctors and nurses have limited control over this crisis. If He wants there to be enough hospital beds and ventilators then He will provide them. If He wants the scientist slaving in the labs to have a breakthrough with a vaccine then He will see it created. If He wants to keep drawing people closer to him by allowing the virus to remain here on Earth, forcing us to stop, think, pray and reevaluate priorities, then it will remain here until his will is done.
"The eyes of the Lord are upon
even the weakest worshipers who love him—
those who wait in hope and expectation
for the strong, steady love of God.
God will deliver them from death,
even the certain death of famine, with no one to help."
Psalm 33: 18-19
If you are anxious and you can't shake the feeling, you're not alone. If you are worried and you can't rein back in, you're not alone. If you are scared, you're not alone. Every single one of us experiences emotions and feelings that come in waves. And while there may be sharks are in the water, come hell or high water He is still on the throne. When we sing and give praise heaven invades the earth and our enemies flee. He wraps us with His love and cradles us in His comfort so we can let go of that control we have white-knuckled in our grasp.
"The Lord alone is our radiant hope
and we trust in him with all our hearts.
His wrap-around presence will strengthen us."
Psalm 33: 20
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