New Year...New Hope

Dear, Sweet Mid-Morning Friends...

This is my last chance to write you before we head into 2014, and I have a few things I'd love to share as some parting words to 2013.

* Some of you reading this had amazing years in 2013. And yet some of you might feel kind of guilty celebrating that joy, because you know others are hurting, or worse, others have tried to silence your joy because of their own hurt. To you, I say, REJOICE in the beauty of the year drawing to a close. What a blessing to the soul these seasons of joy are, and God has just gifted you with one. It's OKAY to celebrate what He has done and it is OKAY to publicly praise His name in thankfulness for this goodness. Close out this year with a full heart, brimming over and rejoice in this day...this month...this year He has made. Be glad in it!
* Some of you reading this had devastating years in 2013. Whether it was a health crisis, a job loss, the death of someone you held dear...it's been a tough year and in all truth, you're glad to see this one go and you HOPE 2014 brings something better. To you, I offer the biggest blog-hug I can and I would sit beside you to cry with you if I could. I've had some hard years - the kind that make it hard, if not impossible - to even breathe because the heart-pain is so very intense. To you, I say that even though it may feel like it...God has not forgotten you or turned His back on you. I don't know why this season is here or why it has to hurt so much, but lean in to Him. He can grow and mold you even in the hard time. Cast your anxiety, your hurt, your burdens on Him. He cares and loves you!

* Some of you reading this are anxious right now because of the unknown. Maybe some of you are anxious for the birth of a little one and you aren't sure if things will be okay. Maybe some of you are in the beginning stages of a health journey and you don't even know what's coming your way or if you have the strength to make the journey. Maybe some of you know changes are coming - where you live, where you work, your marriage, your parenting - but you aren't sure what it will look like and that uncertainty is about to undo you. To you, I say trust Him. And before you say back to me, "That's a trite answer," I will add...sometimes it's really hard to trust. In those moments for my own life, I've lifted my hands up and said "I choose to trust you." Sometimes I wasn't sure how much I meant it and sometimes I didn't want to mean it at all, but I made the words come out of my mouth audibly and with enough determination and repetition, I began to believe it and my trust GREW. He is faithful and will be faithful to you.

* Some of you reading this just want a do-over. Maybe you've made poor choices. Maybe you think there's no way to fix whatever's gone wrong. To you I say...you might not be able to escape the natural consequences that have come about because of your choices, but in NO WAY should you think God can't give you a fresh start. There's no better time than right now to fall before the Lord in repentance, confess your sin, and ask God for a new chance. And the next time the choice comes along - choose to walk in obedience. You can't change the past, but you can certainly make new choices in the future.

Lynne and I love you all so much. It's a joy to serve you every day - and we love sharing life with you. We are looking forward to a new year and a continued chance to serve in 2014!

The Best Friend I've Never Met

Can someone be your friend if the two of you have never shared

                                                 a meal,

                                                            a conversation,

                                                                                    or a memory?

I think so. I know so.

It's a frequent occurrence for me. Charles Spurgeon. A.W. Tozer. Sarah Young. They're all the truest, wisest, most dependable of friends...even though we've only met on the pages of their books. And this year I became especially close to yet another sacred sibling whose voice I've never heard and whose face I know only through photos: Dr. E. Stanley Jones.



E. Stanley Jones
1884-1973




My introduction to Eli Stanley Jones occurred more than 15 years ago via one of his quotes that appeared in a book I was reading for Mid-Morning. I've since forgotten the title of the book but not Dr. Jones' quote:

 

I looked into the face of Christ and was forever spoiled for anything that was unlike Him.

 

 When Summerside Press released Jones' classics Abundant Living and Victorious Living a little more than a year ago, the Methodist pastor - and missionary to India - and I began keeping company on a regular basis. He talked. I listened. The result? My outlook, faith, and life have become even more aligned with the Lord's!

 

 Here's a sampling of what this humble, Spirit-dependent servant of God wrote:

 

 In order to have a continuous state of relaxed receptivity, we must have periods of quiet when we gain the poise and power that will go through the whole day.

 

 The more you obey Jesus, the more He becomes the center of your affection.

 

 Habits are formed by regularity. Pray by the clock, if necessary, and soon you will pray by inward urge.

 

 Do you will to receive the Holy Spirit, not as a passing influence that may get you out of spiritual difficulties, give you momentary satisfaction, lift and inspire you--not that, but as an abiding Power that will take over the citdel of yourself and reign there as a lifelong proposition?

 

 And the prayers! O, his prayers that conclude every daily reading. I relish them as much as his devos:

 

 O Spirit of God, bring this wandering, wavering will of mine to the bondage of Your freedom, to the narrowness of Thy universality, to the yoke that is easy, and to the burden that is light. I bend my neck. (I love that he calls me higher, higher and higher in faith and devotion. He makes me yearn for the good God desires for me, even while I drag my feet, wanting to stay as I am.)

 

 O Spirit of God, I have said a "Yes" that covers everything; now help me to live in a state of "Yes-ness" to Your unfolding will.

 

O God, now I come to You just as I am. If anything can be made of me, do it. I am at Your disposal. I've come with all I have.

 

And finally...

 

O God my Father, I want to be like You. Take out of me all antagonism, all divisions, all clashes, so that those I meet this day will instinctively feel that I breathe "Peace."

Thank you, "E," for pointing me to Jesus. For now, I must be satisfied with our one-way communication: from your books into my mind and heart. But one day. Yes, one day we'll share a forever meal.

And I'm going to talk your ear off!



BeadforLife

One week ago, WBCL held its second BeadforLife party in Fort Wayne. And what a LOVELY day it was!! Thank you, SO MUCH, to all of you who came out to enjoy an afternoon or evening with us...to shop with a purpose...to enjoy some chocolate...and to share your hearts with us! We LOVED meeting you!

BeadforLife, if you're not familiar, helps eradicate poverty among the women of Uganda. If you want to hear more about it, you can catch Lynne's interview with Heather Ditillo of BeadforLife here. {The interview also contains segments of Lynne's interviews with two women from Uganda whose lives have been changed forever by this organization!

We were excited to host the party for them - to allow you to come and shop for gifts...or for yourself!...and we raised over $18,000 at the party {not including what you've purchased online toward our party since then!} to help the women of Uganda get out of poverty and create and sustain a life for themselves. THANK YOU!!

Whether or not you were at the party, we thought you might like a peek into the day, so here was our party in pictures!

{Since a picture is worth a thousand words...enjoy a few thousand words in pictures. I'll let them speak for themselves.}

Don't forget...you can order from their website using the code WBCL through December 12 to get free shipping and for the total to count toward our party!

Thanks so much for supporting the women of Uganda!

Christmas Ornament Recipes

Jane Jarrell's book Holiday Hugs is chock-full of heartwarming hints for holiday hospitality -- including these recipes for homemade ornaments:

CANDY CANES

Materials:

2 cups flour
1 cup salt
1 cup cold water
Paste food coloring
White acrylic paint
Paraffin

Directions:

1. Stir together flour, salt, and water.
2. Knead mixture until it forms a stiff dough.
3. To add colors, take portions of the dough and work in little dabs of paste food coloring until you reach your desired shade of red for the candy cane stripes. Color the white dough with white acrylic paint.
4. Roll equal-sized pieces of each color into ropes and twist together. Cut twisted strips to desired lengths and bend top to form a curve.
5. Dry candy canes in a 325 degree oven for 1-2 hours. Dip in paraffin to coat.
6. Tie the various-sized candy canes onto the tree with bright green ribbons.

OLD-FASHIONED SALT DOUGH ORNAMENTS
(Makes 2 cups dough)

Materials:
1 1/4 cups flour
1/4 cup ground cloves, 1/4 cup ground cinnamon, 1/4 cup ground nutmeg, combined
1 cup salt + 1 cup water, mixed together

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients together.
2. Knead until dough is firm. If still sticky, sprinkle in some cinnamon.
3. Roll dough out on a cinnamon-sprinkled surface and cut out Christmas shapes with cookie cutters. Make a hole with a straw near the top of each cutout.
4. Bake at 300 degrees for 25-30 minutes.
5. After these non-edible ornaments are cooled and decorated, thread a ribbon through the top hole and hang them on a tree.

Two Authors and a Squeaker

Monday's "Author! Author!" guests included Karen Kingsbury and Emily Neuburger. Each woman had much more to say that her measly ten minutes would allow, which is why I'm putting the overflow into this week's blog.

And for dog lovers, a photo of the much-discussed Sophie (finally!), the 7-squeaker toy made by Nedra Curry (a listening friend), and her e-mail in case you want to order her clever toy that allows you to replace defunct squeakers. Genius!

KAREN KINGSBURY is a busy mom of six and a wildly popular and prolific author. (I only include the info about her being a popular/prolific author for those of you who've just awakened from a 20- year slumber. Other important news: William Shatner's acting career has been resurrected, and cell phones have basically replaced cameras.) Her on-air interview focused on her latest novel, Fifteen Minutes. In this "overflow" interview,  she explains why she leverages her celebrity to help children find forever homes, and why she's hired God as her publicist. Enjoy!  

 

Listen to interview here



EMILY NEUBURGER is a huge proponent of stories. If you want to know why, catch her "Author! Author! interview on the Mid-Morning archive.

 



The artist, teacher, author, freelance children's crafter designer and mom has done parents a HUGE service by writing Show Me a Story, 40 creative projects and activities designed to spark a child's natural storytelling abilities. It's the perfect gift for grandparents to give to the parents of their beloved grandkids. Parents, give it your kids' grandparents. The activities will generate hours of magical make-believe fun that transform into moments to treasure. Teachers. Homeschool families. Anyone who interacts with kids will appreciate Emily's book. It also makes an out-of-the ordinary but greatly appreciated baby shower gift.

Make a set of Story Disks with your children and experience for yourself how telling stories is good for you and your kids!

STORY DISKS

Time to make: 2 hands-on hours

Ages: To make - 5+  To use - 3+

Players: 1+

 

(Excerpted from Show Me a Story (c) Emily K. Neuburger. Used with permission of Storey Publishing.)

 

These wooden disks, decorated with pictures of nifty  characters, things, and places, are compact idea generators. They serve as perfect little sources of inspiration. Make as many as you want, pass some on to your neighbor, trade them with friends, tuck them in pockets, or give them as gifts. They make people smile.

 

Photography by Buff Strickland

John Polack Photography

 

Materials

 

• acrylic paint and brushes


• 1 1/2" wooden disks


• plastic containers (from the recycling bin)


• paper scraps


• pencils


• scissors


• mini-muffin tin (for organizing collage materials)


• Modge Podge


• foam brush


• toothpick


• wax paper


• thin black marker


• eraser


• small stamps


• black ink pad

 

How to Make

 

1. Paint both sides of each wooden disk with a cheer color. (I like to make several groups of six, with each set the same color.) Hold a disk between two fingers as you paint it with the other hand.


2. To dry them with the least amount of smudging, set up a few plastic containers from your recycling bin (thing hummus or cream-cheese tubs) and stand the disks in them on end, leaning against the sides. For a nice solid finish, let them dry overnight and then apply a second coat of paint in the morning. Of if you aren't worried about imperfection, one coat is just fine. While you are waiting for the disks to dry, write down a list of interesting, imaginative characters, places, and tings. Later, if you find yourself searching for ideas, you'll have this list to help direct your creative process.


3. Once the disk are dry, add tiny pictures, using any of these three techniques: collage, drawing and painting, or stamping. Mix and match, or stick with the style that feels most satisfying to you. Don't get hemmed in--try them all and see which one works best for your storytelling.

 Collaged Pictures

1. Decide how to break up your collaged image. For example, if your image is a tree, you might cut the trunk out of one color paper, the leaves out of another, and the fruit or flowers out of a third.


2. Draw the image pieces on the back of each piece of paper with the pencil, then carefully cut out each piece. To keep all of the pieces of an image together, a mini-muffin tin or small paper cup works nicely.


3. With the foam brush, apply one coat of Mod Podge to your disk, place the first paper piece down, and brush another layer of Mod Podge over it. Continue layering Mod Podge and paper pieces until all are applied. If it's difficult to pick up those tiny bits of paper, nudge them into place with a toothpick. Place the disk on wax paper to dry overnight.

Drawn and Painted Pictures

1. With a pencil, lightly sketch your design onto the disk. Once you're pleased with the image, fill it in with paint. Place the disk on wax paper and let dry for at least three hours.
2. Once the disk are completely dry, outline the image with a thin black marker to give it more definition. If your hand wobbles while drawing, don't fret; this gives your images personality!
3. Very gently erase extra pencil lines, being mindful not to smudge the marker and paint.

Stamped Pictures

1. Choose a selection of small stamps (less than 1 1/2" wide) for the disks.
2. Dip a stamp into the ink and use the tips of your fingers to press it firmly and evenly onto a disk. Its a good idea to do a few practice stamps before attempting the real deal. If you find you're missing the perfect stamp to complete your Story Disk set, use a thin black marker to draw an image. It will fit right in with the stamped aesthetic.

 How to Use

There are so many engaging, creative ways to use these disks. Here are a few ideas:

1. Law several facedown on a table, then flip them over, one at a time, to reveal the next piece of an ongoing story.
2. Put the disks in a bag and have a child pick out three of them to be used in a bigger story.
3. Lay the disks face-up on the table as visual inspiration for starting and continuing a story.

Other Neat Ideas

Give a set of Story Disks and a small journal as a gift. Experiment with other collage materials, such as fabric, seeds, and bits of fiber. Make a Story Disk necklace. This is a favorite among my friends and loved ones (including my daughters). Using a drill with a very small bit, make a  hole at the top of a disk. Put some necklace cording through the hole, then put a clasp on the ends or tie a simple knot.

Teaching Tip

Story Disks are an engaging way to teach vocabulary. Once you have the images on your disks, print the corresponding words on the other side. (Use pencil first!)

Mod Podge Tips

Apply in thin layers. In order to avoid wrinkling, apply Mod Podge to the back of the cut-out paper, press firmly, and smooth out bubbles. Wait 15 to 20 minutes and then apply a top coat of Mod Podge. This will give the paper time to set before you saturate it with the top coat. When yo first apply Mod Podge, it will be milky white and opague. Don't fret! It will dry perfectly clear, like magic. Allow the Mod Podge to dry fully before playing with or using the project.

 

SOPHIE SUE is my parents' beloved pug/boxer dog. She goes crazy over squeaker toys and, because of her needle-sharp teeth, can tear through any -- and I mean any -- fabric in less than thirty minutes. Several weeks ago a listening friend called to inform us that Tractor Supply sells a 19-squeaker toy. Nineteen squeakers in what looks like a flattened rabbit. I bought two. To date, Sophie has punctured 5 of the squeakers (I'm holding the second toy back as her Christmas gift.) That on-air conversation inspired Nedra Curry to try her hand (and sewing machine) at making a multi-squeaker toy. She succeeded. But what makes her version so special is the knots tied between each squeaker that allow you to remove a defunct one and replace it with a new one! As I said, genius.

 

Nedra Curry's 7-Squeaker Toy

 

She looks so innocent and gentle . . .

...until she hears the squeaker -- then she's Cujo!

 

To order your own 7-squeaker toy from Nedra, e-mail her at curry@ipfw.edu. They're $7.50 a piece or 3 for $21.00.

 

 

Hope

Some of you might have heard me share this story on the morning show with Jim, Phil and Larry this week - but I thought I'd share it here too, just in case you missed it.

A few weeks ago, I received a really sweet email from a girl out on the East Coast who stumbled upon my blog. She reached out to me because her life story is so similar to mine...and she wanted to let me know how reading my story had encouraged her.

We began to email back and forth occasionally, and I found myself marveling at how God was using my crazy, broken, mixed-up life to bring hope to someone else. {LOVE IT - but still find myself amazed that He can and will do that.}

In one of her emails, she mentioned to me that she saw the photo of my mug that Lynne gave me when I started working here at WBCL.

She asked where I got it, because she really liked it. I told her...but I was pretty sure they weren't making mugs like this anymore, so I wasn't sure she'd be able to get one.

It just so happened, that a while later, when Ryan and I were shopping in TJ Maxx, we found a blue pottery mug with the word HOPE on it. As soon as I saw it, I grabbed one of the two they had hanging from the shelf. I told Ryan I wanted to send it to her, because I wanted to offer her a gift.

I wrapped that mug in more bubble wrap and paper than I should have, probably, and had to squeeze to get the box shut and taped up properly. I addressed it to her, had the post office mark it fragile, and off it went.

A few days later, I got the kindest email from my new friend. She thanked me profusely for the mug and told me there was no way I could have known - but hope was her word for the year. Don't you just love how God works?

And then she said she hesitated to tell me...but on the off-chance that I'd gotten the box insured...the mug arrived in about seven pieces.

WHAT?! How was that even possible?? With all that bubble wrap?

I did have insurance on the box - but the money part is insignificant. I was sad that her mug - her HOPE mug, of all things - arrived shattered.

And yet it all seemed like some object lesson waiting to be sorted out. Shattered hope...

I don't have the object lesson sorted out. But what I've gathered from it so far is that even when everything looks and feels broken, there is still hope. And God is still doing His behind-the-scenes work...orchestrating little details we can't even imagine.

For today - for my confused little brain - that is news that, well, gives me hope.

Just Call Me Teddy

I waited a LONG time for a daughter-in-love. But there was absolutely no post-wedding waiting for my first grandchild . That special gift was included in the form of a darling six-year-old boy with wavy black hair, brilliant blue eyes, and a puckish sense of humor, when J.R. met and married Jeni.

Elijah is blessed to have three sets of grandparents plus several great-grandparents. Lots of people with the singular name of Grandma and Grandpa, or with the addition of a surname to keep track of who's who.

What would he call us?

Now I've been mulling over grandma names for quite a while. I called my beloved paternal grandparents Mamaw and Papaw, and my mom's parents, Vovo and Vovoo, Portuguese for grandmother and grandfather. I hoped Elijah would have his own nickname for me. I landed on Winnie for several reasons. One, it's a variation of my nickname, Lynnie. Two, L is a difficult letter for little kids to say and tends to come out sounding like a W. Plus, it's friendly and inviting. Yes, Winnie, it is.

Not so fast.

When I asked Elijah if he wanted to call me Winnie, he just looked at me like the stranger I was. After all, his mom and our son met and married within the span of 28 days! The first time Doug and I met Elijah was the night before the wedding -- and here I am, at our first get together after the wedding...his third time being around me -- asking if he wanted to call me Winnie! While he didn't reply, "No!" he DID continue referring to us as J.R.'s Mom and J.R.'s Dad. Too funny.

But about nine months after J.R., Jeni, and Elijah had settled in as a family, E (one of his nicknames) informed me that he knew what he wanted to call me: "I think I shall call you Teddy," were his exact words. Huh? What? When I asked why, he answered, "I just like it."

Last Friday was Grandparents' Day at E's school. After a morning of shopping at the Christmas Boutique, hanging out in his classroom, and watching his class's exuberant rendition of "Hats," we spent the afternoon together. As he sat on our living room floor playing with a newly purchased toy, E looked up for a moment and said, "Do you know why I call you Teddy?" Because you're like a teddy bear."

That's a good enough reason for me.

Winnie who? My name is Teddy.

Elijah and Teddy
Grandparents' Day 2013



Kerri Zurbuch's Thanksgiving Recipes

We love how our fitness friend Kerri Zurbuch always finds a way to combine glorious good taste AND nutrition in her recipes. Like these two: one ramps up the antioxidant levels of cranberry sauce and the other "healthifies" a Thanksgiving dessert!

Cranberry Sauce

Ocean Spray knows a thing or two about cranberries.

Follow their cranberry sauce recipe, and make Kerri's adjustments for increased nutritional value:

• Boil 15 minutes longer than the recipe calls for
• Stir in 1 and 1/2 cups of frozen mixed berries
• Let cool and put in the fridge to chill. Do this the night before Thanksgiving dinner

No-Bake Pumpkin Pie Cheese Cake

Ingredients:

• 1 can pumpkin pie filling
• 1/2 of an 8-ounce block of Philly cream cheese at room temp
• 1 box of instant vanilla pudding
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon

Blend the ingredients until smooth and pour into a graham cracker pie crust shell. Refrigerate until firm. (Kerri likes to make this the night before and freeze it. Pull it out of the freezer an hour before serving. Top with whipped cream, if you wish.)

A Little Challenge for November...

Some of you might have read about this on my blog yesterday...but I wanted to write about it here too - because I wanted to invite everyone to be a part.

Thanksgiving is coming up in just about a month, and I'm busy prepping to decorate my house in reminders to give thanks. Ryan and I are making plans to visit our families {the great juggling of the family visitations} - and of course, that means making plans for the food we'll take with us.

And in all of that...I don't want to lost sight of the purpose of Thanksgiving....to give thanks.

While there's nothing wrong with this practice, I don't want my thankfulness to be a hurried note on my Facebook status. I want to actually give thanks back to people who have invested in my life.

It might be a phone call.

A card.

A visit.

A donation made in their honor.

A little gift.

Something that says, "Hey, I remember the time you invested in me by ______________. I am the person I am today because of the time you took."

Imagine it. Imagine being the recipient of this unexpected gratitude. What a blessing!

I'd love you to join me each day in November if you'd like to be part of this. Drop by my blog and at the end of my post each day, I'll offer a suggestion of someone you might thank that day. Who you pick and how you thank them is completely up to you.

Want to join me this November in being part of a blessing? Let's do it!

Favorite Things (Cue the Music)

I'm a pushover for lists of favorite things. It could be someone's favorite fishing lures, and I'd still read it. I say if someone is willing to be a product guinea pig and share their opinion, then I'm more than willing to listen. If you feel the same way, read on!  You just might stumble on to something that you've been wanting to try or discover an item you didn't know existed.

JAG JEANS

Withhold judgment until you read what I have to say.

Yes, you pull these jeans on, but the fit is fabulous. Even though they're shown here with a top tucked in, you don't ever wear them this way unless Steve Urkel is your fashion icon . Here's what's so great about these jeans: No zippers or buttons AND the wider waistband keeps you snug and your tummy flat without, and I mean without, compromising comfort or fit. I like the straight leg, though I am planning on snagging a skinny black pair to wear all winter long tucked into boots.

I'm high-waisted (mine plays peekaboo under my bust), even so, these jeans don't squeeze into my non-existent waist and create spillover. Too much info, I know, but this is the kind of stuff women want to know.

They're available locally at Von Maur. Online try www.6pm.com. This site offers deep discounts -- up to 80% -- on name-brand items. I recently found a pair of Sofft leopard pumps for just $25.00!!
Standard ground shipping is free. Inventory doesn't generally include every size, but when you find yours, grab it. Things sell out rather quickly.

FREE FALL DECORATING

I flank our fireplace mantle with two metal French flower buckets, changing out the greenery seasonally. For fall, I like "stalkish," non-flowery filler. The ornamental grass (Miscanthus Sinensis) in our front yard flower bed is perfect. It looks like this when I cut it and bring it indoors:

Twenty-four hours after it's placed into the buckets it morphs into this:

 



While I wish this ornamental grass retained its original vibrant color and feathery form indoors, I like its fall "outfit." Now I just need to go outside and cut more to fill out the buckets.

SALLY HANSEN TRIPLE STRONG

I bit my nails from the time I was four until the day I graduated from high school -- I kid you not! I have no idea why I suddenly had the willpower to quit the habit I'd tried to kick, unsuccessfully, for 13 years. Whatever the reason, I now have long, strong, beautiful nails; that is, until a few years ago when my nails became brittle and started to peel. Thank you, menopause. Nothing helped, even an expensive treatment from my favorite shopping channel. The answer to my nail issue was as close as my neighborhood Walgreens: Sally Hansen's Triple Strong. This stuff really works. Apply it once a week. I use it as a base coat under nail polish and as a top coat. Remove it every week and apply again.

See for yourself: my nails are strong yet flexible and healthy.

 

 

 

THE WOOD SHACK ARCHITECTURAL ANTIQUE

 



Oh, the treasures you'll find at The Wood Shack Architectural Antique on Baker Street in Fort Wayne: weathered shutters just waiting to become room dividers...old metal register grates begging to be hung as art work. Or, my favorite, finials. I don't officially collect them, but I do own three that I display as a trio, or as individuals grouped with other treasures.

 



Whether you're looking for artwork, shelves, or any other home accessory, make any reclaimed store your first stop. Peruse with an open mind, asking yourself, "What could this become?"

 

BABY LIPS

 

I've never been a lip balm girl. I think they're too gloppy and heavy. But lips need moisture, especially during winter. What's a girl to do? Use Maybelline's Baby Lips. It has a light feel on the lips, provides a sweep of sheer color, and, best of all, it makes your lips feel soft and hydrated.

 



 

 

JUGHEAD

 

Okay, the supersize insulated mug, er, tankard sold at Speedway isn't called Jughead; that's my name for this 64-ounce money saver. I was spending a literal fortune at fast food restaurants, buying up to three (some days even more) iced teas every day. At $1.08 a pop that adds up to . . . a lot.

 

Enter Jughead.

 

Now I make my own iced tea every morning using Lipton's Cold Brew tea bags. That in and of itself is a true miracle. I NEVER thought a five-minute cold brew could taste as good as made-from-hot-water, fresh-brewed tea, but it does. .

 

Granted, Jughead isn't pretty, but he does his job. Who could ask for more?

 

 

YASSO BARS

OH. MY. GOODNESS. I could wax poetic about these delectable Greek yogurt bars. They're creamy, high in fiber and protein, and only 80 calories. Eat them for breakfast, as a morning snack, an afternoon pick-me-up, or a treat -- they're THAT delicious and good for you.



Okay, you know what I'm loving right now. What about you? Tell me about your faves. I'm listening!

Sitting Back to Enjoy

We are too busy.

You know that?

All of us...we're always on the run, always checking things off the to-do list, running, running, running...and we don't kick back and rest.

This past weekend, Ryan and I took some time to go visit one of my friends from the days of yore. The days when I was a recent college grad and Jenna was in college and our paths collided in the Financial Aid Office. I was a counselor and she was a student worker, but we were fast friends and forgot that any age or level came between us.

And we're still friends, all these years later. I watched her get married and prayed for her during her years of waiting for babies and rejoiced with her when the first sweet baby was born...and then the second.

And now Jenna's been able to celebrate with me as she and her entire family welcomed Ryan in with open arms this past weekend.

A lovely weekend of sitting, resting, laughing, stories, and more. Take a peek:

1. What to do when stuck in this for two hours?

 Well, first I'd recommend checking out the dates of the Chicago marathon before traversing that way. HA!!! Then I recommend sitting back and having the best heart to heart conversation with your traveling buddy. And if you're traveling alone - call someone!! Passes the time and creates such joy.

2. Savor the goodness - and not just of the food.

Recognize it? I've learned that those who have enjoyed a Giordano's pizza before know them anywhere! This was my first, and I enjoyed the chance to try something Ryan loved - and to share fellowship with my friends. It was while we sat at length in the restaurant that Jenna's daughter wanted to look through my purse and have Ryan show her how to use the tripod she found in there...where Ryan and Jenna's husband engaged in a long conversation about the church...where Jenna and I laughed at her son, who was happily sorting through the pieces of pizza on his plate. Much enjoyment - and not just because of the food.

 

3. Indulge in a favorite.

 We made our way to an apple orchard during our visit and found these bags of Honeycrisp apples, which just happen to be my favorite. I used to eat one every day, but came to the place where I couldn't justify the hefty price tag, so I stopped. But since it was vacation, and since we were surrounded by the goodness - we had to partake. I've enjoyed every bite.

4. Make a memory.

 I have a picture similar to the one above from 2010, when I visited this orchard for the first time with Jenna. I was just healing from my painful breakup - and in fact, that trip was part of my heart healing. What a joy to come back, 3 years later, with God's redemption from that hurt, sit in the same spot, and make a beautiful new memory!

5. Have a good laugh.

 He's sitting in his food. It cracked me up. Why have I not thought to protect my food this way?? BEKAH DOESN'T SHARE FOOD!!!!!

6. Be Goofy.

 The orchard had tons of old tractors sitting around for photo props...and they were several inches deep in the mud. I decided it would be fun to "push" one out for a photo. No lasting productivity - but it sure was fun and a good laugh. Never kills anyone to be a little goofy!

7. Leave your comfort zone.

 Pumpkin guts. Need I say more?

8. Celebrate the gifts.

 

Over 10 years of friendship with the lovely Jenna. Definitely cause for celebration.

A weekend of sleeping in, seeing sunrises, indulging in late night coffee - and just soaking up the rest and the joy.