L- Low Carb Llamas

I have recently begun collecting (and by this I mostly mean pins on Pinterest) ideas and pictures about Low Carb recipes and Llamas.

The low carb recipes search stems from a desire to be healthier and knowing that is one way that my body loses weight well.  It is also hard to think of new ideas so new recipes are welcome.  I struggle most with substituting what I call "vehicles" for the food.  For example, what will you use in place of bread you are subtracting?

And before anyone says anything, gluten free bread is awful.  It taste like sand was added.  If I want a sandy sandwich I'll take a picnic to the beach.  

So, I've found romaine lettuce leaves to be the easiest vehicle so far.  There are other recipes where I've substituted for noodles or rice.  I like spaghetti squash spaghetti and ground cauliflower "rice" Spanish rice.  I like to use the word Faux...makes it sounds fancier.

Faux Spanish Rice.  Faux Spaghetti.

The llamas search stems from having some stressful situations in my life and a friend who told me, and rightly so, to save my drama for my llama.  I've come across a myriad of other sayings that equally crack me up.  So, now when I'm tempted to give into the drama of life...I look at some llama pins and try to breathe deeply.

 

K- Kites

J- Journaling

I posted an article on Bullet Journaling aka Exhausting Inspiration years ago, regarding my qualms with the bullet journaling fad.  I still agree with many of the points I made in that article.  I want lists to be efficient more than I want them to be pretty.  I have to make sure making lists doesn't keep me from getting my priorities accomplished.  

So, around October of 2018 I decided I was going to create my own calendar.  I wasn't thrilled with any setups currently available and some ideas of lists that I'd pinned to Pinterest were intriguing to me.  So, here's a general update on what's going well and what's not!  

I love how cute these balloons turned out for birthdays (and anniversaries) that I will probably create something similar for next year.  (Yes, it's going well enough that I'm pretty sure I will do this next year too).  I haven't forgotten any birthdays so far this year.  

I liked the idea of this next one...but have found it is not realistic to have pages where you are going to need to check off on something daily unless it's already a part of your daily/weekly calendar.  I do have a weekly calendar section.  I'm not sharing any of those layouts cuz they contain too much personal info. (I've been trying a different type each month to narrow down which one I like best for next year).  SO, unless I can figure out how to make this kind of health challenge a part of the weekly layout I probably won't do it next year.

Again, I love this idea of daily, weekly, bi-weekly, etc. cleaning schedules.  It was good for me to think through them...but it is not practical to check these things off.  I quickly got behind (so did my housecleaning) and I am pretty much not using this neat list I took so long to create and draw out.

This one is truly "bondage," as my dear friend Diana would say.  I have loved the idea of doing a temperature scarf/blanket forever.  I decided to do it this year.  And honestly, because I started it I'm stubbornly going to FINISH it!  I may go crazy but I'm going to finish it.  I'm definitely NOT doing anything like this next year, though. (NOTE I'm almost a month behind in recording temperatures and two months behind in knitting them).

I also have one that looks like bookshelves...with color coding for books read, re read, and to read.  Being a rather eclectic reader I'm not open to sharing all of those books with you but I will say it's not a very efficient way to keep a list.  I guess, annually, it does give me a good accounting of what I'm reading.  It has kept me more accountable to all the books I already own and haven't read....and all the books I want to read that I should probably get out of the library because...see list of all that I already own.

Do you use a bullet journal or have favorite lists you use for every day life?  I'd love to hear all about it.  Please let me know!

I- In consideration of Inconsideration

Spring has finally come to Indiana...at least for this week.  The running joke around here is that if you don't like the weather just wait a day...it'll change.  So, it was beautiful when I got out of the gym yesterday...so I rolled my windows down and was enjoying the breeze, when suddenly, I almost choked to death as I came to a stoplight parallel to a driver adding their own smoky fog to the beautiful day.  Just like the joke above I was indignant at their inconsideration.  

And then, I began to ponder...in consideration of inconsideration.  My response when I am treated poorly...or even thoughtlessly...reveals my heart.  It shows that I think the other person is not considering or thinking about me...and exactly how much I matter to myself.

Do I glare at the person...or see them as an image bearer of my Jesus?
Gen. 1:26 Then God said, "Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground."

Am I selfish about my time...or do I stop to consider them and their unknown struggles?
Phil. 2:3-4 "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or empty pride, but in humility consider others more important than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others."

Do I care more about my comfort and ease...or do I care about the opportunity to demonstrate the fruit of the spirit?

Please don't read that I am never annoyed or irritated with the people around me...Boy, is that not true.  But, I do recognize that I am called to love like Jesus.  I hope will consider these things too.  So often, I think the roots of bitterness are fertilized in the soil of thoughtless comments, offended feelings and inconsideration of our rights.

H- Hilarity in my life

My daughter, the gardener, begged her Daddy to make her three more raised beds.  He happily obliged and then...his morbid sense of humor and lack of sleep got the better of him.  He and my son thought it'd be fun to take these coffin pictures.  Sigh...

 The little things that tickle me about these pics...his superman shirt...and how he's hugging the drill...lol!

Then, my son, has taken to balancing his Bai drinks on his forehead....I'm tempting to start calling him flat head, but I'm not sure others would appreciate the joke.  To be fair, he says it's nice and cool and relaxing.  So, there's that...

Hoping this day brings you love and laughter too.

G- Growing

Lately, I've been mentoring young moms and college students.  Many, including myself, want to grow in their "daily walk" with God.  This means I get the delightful privilege of spending extra time in God's Word and researching/reviewing some really great resources with them.  Since this was something I needed to work on today...I thought I'd share some good resources on the subject of Growing in Godliness/ God's Promises.

I first came across a series by Tim Challies entitled 8 Rules for Growing in Godliness.  He writes 9 blogs...(one is the intro)...to flesh out the teachings of Thomas Watson.  I had never heard of these before: Trust the Means of Grace, Guard Against Worldliness, Think Holy Thoughts, Watch for Temptation, Ponder the Brevity of Life, Redeem Your Time, Fellowship with Godly People, and Purpose To Be Godly.  I am excited to read these with one dear girl in particular and work to put them  into action.

I also came across a great post on Desiring God...God's Great and Precious Promises.  It's one of those neat Look at the Book posts where Piper talks and marks up the Bible passages on the screen while he teaches it to you.  Makes me want to go out and get colored pencils and mark up my Bible.  

This article made me cry.  I read it after a really long week.  Resting Upon the Pillow of God's Promises.  An exercise that I should be more faithful to complete (and have encouraged many friends to do also)...especially when life is busy...is writing out how I've seen God's hand of goodness in my day.  

 Which Promises Are For Me?  I've been asked this question and I'm so grateful I came across this resource.  "Not many things are more comforting than a promise made and kept. And not many things are more hurtful than a promise broken. Knowing we worship a God who keeps his promises is a source of deep joy. But misapplied, this knowledge can also lead us to treasure-hunt Scripture for promises in problematic ways."  I love that this article ends with HOPE..."We are not promised certainty in our circumstances, but we are promised certainty in the God of our circumstances. And that is an anchor for the soul."

F- Flowers

"Behold, I am about to do something new; even now it is coming. Do you not see it? Indeed, I will make a way in the wilderness and streams in the desert." IS 43:19