Healing

 Right now I am sitting in my favorite chair, a warm, tall cup of liquid happiness is sitting beside me, and the sound of my hubby vacuuming out the two inches of dust that settled into my Jeep after a day riding trails with the doors off, is filling the air.

 

I feel blessed today. And happy. And content.

 

 

I am not going to lie, that has not been the case over the past month or so. I have been in such a funk mentally, it is not even funny.

 

Life has been very good. I am physically healthy. I lift weights daily, have very high energy levels most days, and hey! I even ran my first ever 5K two weeks ago.

 

I was even blessed to spend a weekend away with my hubby, at a gorgeous little B&B.

 

 

So why have I been in a funky mood?

 

Worry. Fear. And discontentment have plagued me.

 

 

I have been so worried and afraid of my cancer coming back (even after being told by the doctor, I am clear, and healthy, and have very a small chance of recurrence) to the point of making myself feel ill, and making others miserable around me.

 

Cancer took a lot out of me mentally. It took away my peace of mind, and days of not worrying about the future.

 

 

About two weeks ago, I broke down for about two days. Crying, and worrying, and even bitter anger erupted from me.

 

And I came to a realization. I needed healing.

 

 

I so desperately wanted my life to get back to normal after treatment ended last year, that I suppressed those feelings, and hid them away, until they just spilled over during an angry rage while exercising. (pretty sure anyone who drove by during that walk thought I had lost my mind with how I was waving my arms, yelling, and crying...)

 

 

I never gave myself a time of mourning. A time to miss what my illness brought and took away.

And for me that was wrong.

 

"When there is a fresh wound in your heart, keep it open until it heals. Air it out. Understand it. Dive into it. Be fierce enough to become it. If you ignore it, it won't be able to breath. If you ignore it, it will merely deepen, spread, and resurface later, wanting to release. And when later happens, it will hurt even more, because when later happens, you won't know what you're bleeding for. Remain with it until it clears, and watch the beauty pour into your openness. Remain open to feel lightness. Remain open to feel free." ~ Victoria Erickson

 

I should have allowed myself to cry over those losses. To mourn. To let GOD step in and heal my broken heart. Maybe if I had, the past few months would not have been so emotionally tumultuous.

 

 

GOD has been showing me it is okay to feel sad and even mourn what has been taken away from you in life. Our responsibility though is how we react to such losses.

 

"It's not the load that breaks you down. It's the way you carry it." ~C.S. Lewis

 

While I am by no means healed mentally from this disease, and it's gains and losses, I am feeling better about it.

 

 

I have even been transferring my nervous energy into making quilts for friends that are having babies, and for those in my church that have recently lost loved ones.

 

 

I am not 100 percent there, by any means. But GOD is at work, and I am doing MUCH better.

 

After you season of suffering, GOD in all HIS grace will restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. 1 Peter 5:10

 









Have you ever hidden a pain in your life to the point where it suddenly erupted and surprised you? How has GOD been helping you heal that pain?

 

Have a wonderfully blessed day everyone! Thank for stopping by!

Angel

Our Kitchen, My Favorite Room

If you were to ask, I would say our kitchen is my favorite room in our house.

 

With it's large windows, and screen door, it is the brightest room in the entire house.

 

 

 

With meals to be cooked daily...

 

 

The never ending laundry pile to be washed...

 

 

Food to be enjoyed...

 

 

And lots and lots of coffee brewed daily...

 

 

Our kitchen is where the majority of my time is spent.

 

 

It is also where you first enter our house.

 

 

So it has always been my goal to keep this room warm, welcoming...

 

 

an expression of our little families personality...

 

 

 

Full of family heirlooms...

 



 

and clean!

 

 

Seriously, my whole house can look like a tornado hit it, and it not bother me. But not my kitchen. It has to be spotless.

 

 Yes, our kitchen is my favorite room in our home. :)

 

 

What is your favorite room in your house? Do have a room you just HAVE to keep clean?

 

Have a wonderfully blessed day everyone! Thanks for stopping by!

Angel

Some Homemaking Inspiration

“I believe that a godly home is a foretaste of heaven. Our homes, imperfect as they are, must be a haven from the chaos outside. They should be a reflection of our eternal home, where troubled souls find peace, weary hearts find rest, hungry bodies find refreshment, lonely pilgrims find communion, and wounded spirits find compassion.”
― Jani Ortlund

 

 

“It's sad if people think that's (homemaking) a dull existance, [but] you can't just buy an apartment and furnish it and walk away. It's the flowers you choose, the music you play, the smile you have waiting. I want it to be gay and cheerful, a haven in this troubled world. I don't want my husband and children to come home and find a rattled woman. Our era is already rattled enough, isn't it?”
― Audrey Hepburn

 



 

“It is true that all men are created in the image of God, but Christians are supposed to be conscious of that fact, and being conscious of it should recognize the importance of living artistically, aesthetically, and creatively, as creative creatures of the Creator. If we have been created in the image of an Artist, then we should look for expressions of artistry, and be sensitive to beauty, responsive to what has been created for us” (p. 32).”
― Edith Schaeffer, The Hidden Art of Homemaking   



 

 

“I am sure that there is no place in the world where your message would not be enhanced by your making the place (whether tiny or large, a hut or a palace) orderly, artistic and beautiful with some form of creativity, some form of ‘art’ (p. 213).”
― Edith Schaeffer, The Hidden Art of Homemaking

 

 

Have a wonderfully blessed day everyone! Thanks for stopping by!

Angel

Yummy Fritatta, Thanks to My Girls

So, my girls have finally started blessing us with eggs. And with 5 a day at that, eggs have become a staple in the "B" house of late. From boiled, to scrambled, breakfast, lunch, and dinner, there has been no shortage. :D

 

 

I made one of our favorite egg meals recently, frittata. And boy was it YUMMY, very simple to put together, and I was able to use ingredients I always keep on hand.

 

I sautéed one onion, about 2 cups of frozen bell peppers, and a quarter pound of kielbasa sausage...

 

 

 

Placed a cast iron skillet in a 400 degree preheated oven, with two tablespoons of butter...

 

 

 

Let the butter melts and the pan get good and hot. Took the pan out the oven, and placed the eggs in the heated skillet to start the eggs a cookin'.

 



 

Then I scooped the sausage, peppers and onions onto the eggs, and topped with grass fed cheddar cheese.

 

 

It was then placed back into the oven, and baked for about 15 minutes.

 

 

Served with grits on the side, it was a yummy, nutritious, filling meal.

 

 

All thanks to my girls...

 

 

"Happiness is making the most of what you have, and riches is making the most of what you've got." ~Rosamunde Pilcher

 

Any making the most of what you have of late, and feeling rich about it? Or any new recipe trying?

 

Have a wonderfully blessed day everyone! Thanks for stopping by!

Angel

 

 

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When You Can't Eat Raw Apples, Sautee 'Em!

One of the things about chemo that I have found a slight bit on the irritating side, is the kind of person I have become: a germaphope.

 

With having very low white blood cell counts, I have had to be VERY careful about where I go, what I touch, who I am around, and even what I eat. When you know something as simple as a cold could put you in the hospital, you kinda become paranoid...

 

I don't spend large amounts of time in close quarters, with large groups of people, so as to limit exposure to germs. And I have had to replace my natural homemade cleaners, for bleach to ensure no germs linger on my cabinets.

 

I have even had to stop eating raw fruits an veggies for a time.

 

I really had a craving for apples today. But, knowing my counts are still low, I knew chowing down on a fresh one might not be such a great idea. So, I got creative, and cooked some up.

 

All I did was peel and slice two apples. Preheated some coconut oil in a pan. Placed said apples, in  the oil. Sprinkled on some cinnamon and nutmeg. Sauteed them for about 6 minutes...

 



 

and voila! A yummy, healthy fall snack.

 

 

A perfect follow-up to setting up an outdoor scene. :D

 

 

Have you tried any new recipes of late?

Have a wonderfully blessed day! Thanks for stopping by!
Angel

Roasted Radishes and Supporting Local Farms

For about two years after I graduated high school, I worked on my then neighbor's farm. They grew veggies, raised pork, poultry, and eggs to sell at Farmer's Market's, and a few local restraunts. They were not a certified organic farm, as becoming "certified organic" is pricey for small farms, but they did raise everything in an organic and ethical way.

 

Any way. I LOVED my job. I spent most of my days feeding animals, weeding, planting, and washing eggs. I also had the opportunity to help sell at the Farmer's Market.

 

With all that being said, being a part of that community for so long has made me a HUGE supporter of buying from local farmers. It provides jobs for local folks, and money into a local economy.

 

And hey! Most food bought at the farmer's market is of WAY better quality than that of a grocery store. And I've found it is a huge money saver when buying grass fed meats, and organically grown veggies. (unless of course you can grown said items yourself. Like we hope to do one day. We are not able to currently, as the land we live on is not ours, and I'm not totally sure the owner would be thrilled with us digging up the backyard, and putting in a garden...)

 

My first trip to the market this year rewarded me with a source of grass fed beef for half the price I was paying at Whole Foods. Plus, I have the guarantee this farmers cows were finished on grass, and never saw grain.

 

My second trip was more veggie filled. I was able to buy tomatoes, green onions, and even branch out into the world of radishes.

 

I never tasted a radish before last week. I'm a creature of habit when it comes to food. Slowly, as I learn more and more about nutrition, I am beginning to branch out. And my body and taste buds are loving it. :D

 

So after seeing a recipe for roasted radishes in the "Nourishing Gourmet" quarterly, they were quickly bumped up on the list to try.

All I had to do was toss them in a tablespoon of butter, sprinkle some salt, and bake for 20 minutes at 425 degrees.

 



 

And how yummy they were placed atop a salad, alongside grassfed burger patties, topped with mashed avocado and tomatoes. Yummy!

 



I am definitely looking forward to picking up some more at the next market this week. :D

Do you shop at a farmer's market? Have you branched out in the world of food, and tried a new ingredient lately?

Have a wonderfully blessed day everyone! Thanks for stopping by!
Angel

Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies

So, I have not been feeling the best in the world today. Those lovely female hormones that like to visit each month have wreaked havoc on my emotions. Not to mention my appetite.

 

My body is telling me that I could currently survive on peanut butter, chocolate, and coffee. Contrary to what my chocolate, peanut butter, coffee loathing hubby thinks, I say in a perfect world, we should all be able to thrive on those foods. . ;)

 

But, we can enjoy those delectable treats every now and then. And I found one way to do so today, without completely destroying my healthy eating habits. Here's a recipe for "Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies".

 

1 cup natural peanut butter

1/3 cup raw cane sugar

1 egg

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

 

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl. Beat with mixer for 3-4 minutes. Spoon onto cookie sheet, 2 inches apart. Bake 8-10 minutes, at 350 degrees. Let cool for 5-10 minutes, before transferring to cooling rack.

 

Refrain from gorging on them right before dinner. :P





 

In a perfect world, what foods would you thrive one?

Have a wonderfully blessed day! Thanks for stopping by!
Angel