One Thousand Blessings

For the past few weeks I have been reading/crying my way through Ann Voskamp's devotional One Thousand Gifts: Reflections on Finding Everyday Graces. With our lives in a bit of upheaval and transition, I decided to follow in Ann's footsteps--to write down 1000 gifts/blessings/graces/things I am grateful for. Call them what you will, it is a life and attitude altering exercise. Focus on the blessings...simple things, mostly. Everyday things that bring peace and joy. I've only to think about this growing accounting written rather messily in my journal and I feel peace overtaking the stress and the worries.

Here...I will share a few entries to help you start your own journey...

#1 My Father's grace and mercies that are new every morning!

#14 Libraries

#27 My Shakespearean insults mug. "Not so much brain as ear wax."

#26 Kerrygold butter. (Seriously...Oh My Goodness Gracious!)

#117 Being missed by friends I love.

#118 Being blessed with friends to love and miss.

#74 Tiny bridge over the Guadalupe River near Cuero, TX...just beautiful.

#84 Vintage Pyrex.

#88 Clean sheets.

#89 Creative, quirky, odd people...my favorite!

#121 South Texas bugs. Really. They are so colorful and strange and LARGE!

#121 Seeing my dad's love and affection for my daughters. Precious.

#54 Shelby's laugh.

I will stop there. Many more scrawls have been made--some personal, some silly, some forced out on days when it seemed nothing of joy was to be found. Hundreds more are waiting to be recorded and pondered, my heart resolved to continue on as long as I am able to put pen to paper. My desire is to transform this from a heart and soul training exercise to the default reaction of my heart...to live out gratefulness, joy, and grace.

Now go. Grab a gel pen (#41--I love gel pens.) Find a lovely journal and a favorite comfort beverage.  Take a quiet moment and begin to write. Write even if the only good thing you can think of today is breathing in and breathing out. Persevere and soon you, too, will feel the love of the Father fill your spirit to overflowing. He is good.

"When I realize that it is not God who is in my debt but I who am in his great debt, then doesn't all become gift? "
Ann Voskamp

All in the Kneading

Life is just hard sometimes, with days full of discouragement and burdens that weigh down your heart. There are moments in life when it seems there is always something or someone trying to steal your joy, to uproot the peace in your soul and plant instead the stirrings of turmoil.

You know those days...the ones that start out okay, only to be ruined by an argument with a friend or family member or maybe disturbing news from work.  Perhaps what derails you on that day isn't a specific incident, but more of a general disquiet in your spirit--a whispering in your ear telling you that you are less-than, your work is sub-par, your life meaningless.  It's a heaviness, with the enemy of your soul speaking lies and discouragement over you.  Lies.  Deceit. Heaviness. All part of a whole, a bigger picture where the enemy wants you to live and walk in defeat. I hate those moments and days. Joy-suckers.  I refuse to wallow, to acquiesce and have found the way to overcome and rise above the lies so I can see more clearly what my Father has for me.

I found the answer while in my kitchen kneading bread on my counter, transforming a sticky mass of goo into a lovely, fragrant dough.  It was one of those days.  I felt the heaviness descending as the stresses of life became overwhelming, as grief for a friend saddened me, and worry burdened my heart.  I began the 15-20 minute process of kneading dough, my heart full to bursting with a heaviness that began to spill out in tears.  So much to say to my Father...too much.  The repeating, the litany of woes and troubles seemed to me, on that day, to lend them credence and give them too much power.  So I laid them down, set them aside to be dealt with later.  I  began to speak of things for which I am thankful, starting with a simple, "Father, thank you so much for this brand new day."
For 20 minutes, I spoke only words of thanksgiving, asking for nothing--just giving thanks.  The heaviness, discouragement, doubt lifted and my heart found peace.  I had found the key...a grateful heart.

A grateful heart lifts the burdens, dispelling the clouds that keep you from seeing the Father, reminding you of all that He has done and all that He promises to do.  Here's the best part....remember those things that I laid down and set aside to deal with later?  I looked around for them, only to find them missing.  My Father had them in His hands, His more than able hands. I choose to leave them there. Leave Him your burdens, casting them on Him because He cares for you. Rest in the peace that comes from thanksgiving.  Your Father loves you so.

Absolutely every single time I make bread, I see myself in the kneading. I talk to my Father God as I am adding flour to the goo--kneading and kneading until it is the beautiful ball of dough that will eventually be the loaves of bread that I pull out of the oven. Most days, I see myself as the "goo" but also visible to me are the ways God is kneading me into the woman He created me to be...always lovingly kneading, always forming.

Thank you, Father, for carrying my burdens, for holding my future, and for lifting the clouds so I can see you.
Amazing.

20 Years

Had you been in my kitchen a few days ago,  you would have witnessed this conversation...

Me:  "Oh my gosh!  Jay!  I just realized that on the 21st, we will have been married for 20 years!"

Jay:  "I know!  Wait. We were married on the 21st?  What????  I thought we were married on the April 24th."

Me:  "No, I'm pretty sure it was the 21st."

Jay:   "Oh."  (Puzzled expression on his face.)

Me:  "Wait a minute...was it on the 24th????  I seriously do not know."

Jay:  "I have no idea."   (We both start laughing at our lameness.)

Kyra:  (Yelling from the living room.)  "My birthday is on October 21st.  Maybe you are thinking of my birthday."

Jay:   "Hey, I know how to figure it out.  I put it on my Google calendar!"

And so we figured it out.  Young and clueless, we married on April 24, 1993 in Kalispell, MT.  It is nothing short of a miracle that we are still together and still actually like each other.  Really.  We've persevered and I can say in all honesty that Jay is my best friend.  Rarely does a day go by that he doesn't crack me up.  Laughter and prayer...the 2 most important ingredients in the recipe for a successful marriage.

Happy 20 years, JP!  I just want to take a minute to apologize for throwing that Timberland hiking boot at your head that day about 19 years ago.  You have to admit, I may throw like a girl, but I only missed your head by about an inch.  Impressive!  :-)

Moving On

It's official.  The Pierson family is leaving Montana. I realize that we tried this a couple of years ago, to no avail. This time it's for real.  I promise. Jay got a new job near Katy, TX and we'll be heading down there at the end of this month.  It's happened so quickly that we are in a bit of a daze and a teeeeeny bit overwhelmed, but doing well nonetheless. We asked God to go before us and make a way if this was His will for our family and I can't even begin to tell you the amazing things He has done. I shall save that for a future post.

As I sit here typing this, we are in the throes of a nasty spring storm full of rain/sleet/snow.  It certainly makes the leaving a bit easier for me, I have to admit. I will not miss 9 months of winter.  Nope...not at all. I look forward to not having cold feet.  It will be a new and lovely thing to live in a place where one can actually have a winter garden!  I'm quite stoked to learn all about gardening in South Texas and have already contacted several CSA's, Farmer's Markets, and organic farms. Priorities, don't you know. ;)

Montana is a beautiful, rugged place to live.  We will miss our amazing views of the Spanish Peaks and the Bridger Mountains.  We'll miss the spring and summer hiking. Montana summers can be a most wonderful thing. Most of all, of course, we will miss the people we love.  In the past 19 years we've been blessed with amazing friends who have become our family and it hurts my heart to have to say goodbye.  For now, however, I'm not going to think about that. I choose to pull a Scarlett O'Hara and think about that tomorrow.

Now it's time to get back to cleaning out, sorting, and packing.

Love to you all!

Simplified a Bit

I'm a big believer in keeping things as simple as possible. As I was making myself a smoothie today, I was thinking about how I've simplified that whole process. I know myself...if it ain't simple, it ain't gonna happen. At least not for long. I am much more apt to stick it out and keep doing something if the process to make it happen isn't complicated. Can you relate?

Case in point--the smoothie. When I first started drinking green smoothies, I put different powders and things in them. I chopped. I sliced. Now I ascribe to the KISS method when I throw my smoothies together in the Vitamix...Keep It Simple, Stupid.  (Click here to see my earlier post on green smoothies.)  By uncomplicating the process, there is an even greater likelihood that I won't skip it. 

In case you are wondering, making a smoothie now goes something like this:

-In the Vitamix, dump in a couple of tablespoons or so of chia seeds, pour in some homemade coconut milk. Let it sit while I do something else. Ideally this something else would be a workout, but it could also be reading a book.

-After my workout (or book reading), I grab greens out of the fridge and fill up the mixer with them. This part is fast since I usually do try to prewash the greens as I'm not fond of this step and would rather do it all at once as opposed to every single day.  So I suppose a part of simplifying is planning ahead.

-This is it, usually. Easy, fast, simple. If I want to add more to the smoothie, I do. If not, that's good, too.

When I do add other things, it is usually fruit, like blueberries or a banana, or possibly kefir. Sprouts are also a great addition, as is avocado or beets. I'm not a fan of most protein powders, since most of them contain colors, sweeteners, GMOs, etc.  However, if you do use protein powder here's couple of brands that I personally think are great...Sun Warrior and Raw Power.  Both of these are vegan, organic and non GMO, which is nice. (Don't forget that the point here is that you can add other things, but you don't have to. It can be easy and simple when it needs to be, more complicated when you feel like it or have time.)

What do you think?  Do you have the same struggle?  Do you ever start strong, with every intention of continuing, then life gets hectic and you get tired and all you really want to do is pour a glass of wine or a mug of coffee and eat an entire bar of dark chocolate?  To be honest, there are days when I might do just that.  In fact, I must confess to you that my dinner this past Friday night was 4 Newman O's, a glass of red wine, and a documentary on Netflix.  Don't judge me--Shelby and Jay were out of town, Kyra was working, and Maddy was hanging out with a friend. I was NOT going to cook.  Okay...so maybe cookies and wine weren't the best choice, but I did enjoy them.  AND I did have a green smoothie earlier in the day. I'm pretty sure that cancels out the wine and cookies. Doesn't it?   I think this proves my point, actually!  Had I not simplified the smoothie making process, I likely wouldn't have made one and well, my lunch could very possibly have been similar to my dinner.  Saved by the prewashing of the greens!  Whew!

Remember to KISS and carry on! 

Why I Believe in Marriage Equality

I am a Christian, a follower of Jesus, an imperfect woman overwhelmed by the grace and mercy of my Savior. I find myself unable to even begin to express my gratefulness for his unfathomable love, for answered prayers, for my anchor in the storms that life throws at me. I believe in Jesus and, yes, I believe in marriage equality.  Since I've had about a million messages after putting the equality symbol on my Facebook profile, I thought I'd share with you just a few of the reasons for my support of the reversal of DOMA.

#1--To me, this whole issue is a civil rights argument.  It is not a religious one. In the United States, we are free to express our opinions (yes, even Christians can express their opinions and believe me...they do!). We are free to worship or not worship. We are free to choose Jesus, Allah, Buddha, Atheism, Wicca, Agnosticism, indifference.  In this country, you have the right to have a religious belief that states that same-sex marriage is wrong. You also have the right to have a religious belief that states that it is not wrong. This to me is the foundation of religious freedom. We do not live in a theocracy.  (If perhaps you'd like to try living in one, there's always Iran.) Marriage equality in no way takes away your religious freedom or your right to interpret the Bible any way you see fit. It merely asks for freedom to believe a different way and to act on those beliefs.

#2--There are some serious lies and misconceptions out there about the gay community.  I don't know any other way to say this except to just say it...there is no radical gay agenda!!!!!  Gooooooood grief. Gay people don't want to destroy the institution of marriage or the family.  Really, they don't.  They are simply asking for the right to marry the person they love, to have rights under the law of the United States.  They aren't asking you to change your religious beliefs.  (***Reality check***Let's be honest, heterosexual couples, Christian or otherwise, have done a pretty good job of doing some damage to the institution of marriage. I'm pretty sure the divorce rate is over 50% now.)

#3--In the US, many things are legal that some religious people prefer to not engage or indulge in.  Take alcohol, for instance.  Everyone over the age of 21 can legally drink, but many religious people believe it is sinful.  That's ok...then don't drink.  The same could be said of dancing, pot smoking, divorce and many other things. Remember that whole freedom thing?  Yep, it applies here.

#4--Did I mention this is a civil rights issue and not a religious one?

There is so very much more to this issue, but I have nothing more to say today as I am feeling a bit weary. And sad. There is a lot of darkness in this world, full of child sex trafficking, victimization of women and children, crimes of racial prejudice, starving families, wars, famine. So much heartache and sadness, loneliness and grief. We like to talk a lot about the dark, about the enemy--Satan, about the evil abounding in the world. Well, I think we need to remember to not blame the dark for the absence of the light. We are the light in this world.  We are supposed to go in the dark places and bring with us the furious love of the Father. Don't blame the dark for the absence of the light.  Go be light.  Love like the Father. Love with ferocity.

"The Father’s love for the Prodigal was a furious love that was not moody or capricious; it knew no seasons of change. The Father’s love had a single relentless stance toward the prodigal: He loved him. He didn’t just love him a little – he loved him with ferocity." Brennen Manning

Take Heart--They are Listening!

To all of you out there raising kids, I'd like to offer some words of encouragement. As the mom of three teenagers, I've spent years doling out advice, suggestions and, yes, commands. There have been times when my words were met with eye rolls or a glazed expression that made me think that what they were hearing was, "Blah, blah, blah, blah." However, like all parents, I persevered and continued to dole it out.  It's just what we do.  I know you can relate. I know there are times when you feel like quitting, like they are never going to listen. I'm here to tell you that they do listen.  They do hear and believe it or not, they even believe you--mostly.

If you know me or have read other posts on here, you know that I believe in eating good, real food. Well, my kids have heard every possible health lecture there could be. Really, they have. They've heard it all.  I just never thought they were listening or that they gave a hoot.  Guess what?  They do give a hoot! I've noticed them making good food choices, especially as they get older and start to figure out that eating junk makes you feel like junk.

My 19 year old son just started a new job and has been traveling for the past couple of weeks. During the first week, he told me he was eating mostly "bar food" which isn't too surprising. When he got home last night from his second week of travel, he proudly showed me some of the foodstuffs he'd bought while he was away. He did quite well. He also informed me that eating restaurant food was grossing him out and making him feel less than stellar so he had been eating lots of salads and had even sought out and found the local natural foods market. I am a proud mama.  Love that boy.

These are the purchases he was so proud to show me. 

 So in the interest of full disclosure, I also want to add that he bought this to go with his organic tortilla chips...

 The good news here is that he knows this is NOT a healthy choice. Being me and all, I had him read the label and explained to him why yellow no5 and corn/canola oil are not good health choices. Of course, he ate it anyway, but I am confident that he is taking in the information I give him. 

So take heart all you mamas out there trying to get your kids to eat good food...they hear what you are saying and even though every choice won't be perfect, they know what's best.  You are teaching them well. Keep on  keepin' on.