choices

Making choices is sometimes one of the easiest things to do and sometimes one of the hardest things to do. It is unbelievable how many choices come to head each day. Little choices like what to eat for breakfast or when to brush your teeth. Larger choices like the severity of discipline your child should get after disobeying comes a bit harder. Choosing a budget and sticking to it. Internal decisions/battles that can affect your being or catapult you back to square one. An array of choices.

I made a choice awhile back to take a break from something that was part of my everyday life. It was made after hearing the pastor of our church talk about taking one thing to fast from and try it for a month. Evaluate after the month and one would find that if a person can live without it one month, why not try for another. How in turn, fasting from something external can affect your internal thought process and the choices of what should/shouldn't be said out loud.

So I prayed about what to fast from and a month later, like a two by four upside the head, I was clearly given an answer of what to fast from. I made it a month. Two months. Then that little voice said, "You can make the choice to stop fasting. You can handle it. You've made it this long and are stronger now than you were months ago. Go ahead." The voice was so faint. Barely above a whisper. Hardly noticed. Unfortunately it was listened to and acted on. The choice was made to indulge and how quickly I sped right back to square one. You would think, "Lesson learned. That will not happen again." Square one has been visited more than once.

That little voice is so persistent. Every day. Day in and day out. It doesn't give up. It also doesn't get any louder, but keeps a steady beat that doesn't skip. Barely audible until I realize almost too late. Funny thing...it doesn't tell me the consequences I will face if I make the choice and accept what it says. That would obviously defeat the entire purpose.

I have had outs. I have taken the outs to keep myself in check. For these I am so very thankful. Prayer, husband, friends, accountability, and learning to change the thought processes and just some.

Overall it has been a very good choice. I am glad my Lord brought it to my mind
and that despite how hard it was to give up, I obeyed. Have failed, learned from the failure, failed again, had to learn again and humbly ask for forgiveness and continue on. Thankfully He is a forgiving Savior who grants grace that is so undeserving and is there to help in all my choices. Easy and hard. Day in and day out.

weekends

Last weekend's anniversary celebration was chalked full.

It started Friday night with dinner out at a great local eatery with friends and then viewing Nacho Libre which caused side splitting laughing.


Saturday started with breakfast at another great local eatery, a drive to the lakeshore where we ditched the vehicle and hopped on our bikes for a couple hours. We then devoured a light snack while sitting by the bay, changed for dinner, ate way too much at a fanstastic restaurant and ended with flurries by the shore.




We also were surprised by a kite festival that was taking place. Neither of us had seen kites as big as some were. It was extremely windy by the shore and we watched one kite literally drag a man on his stomach across the beach until another man grabbed his legs and was able to stop him.



Sunday was church, mom-in-law taking us out on our official anniversary, a quick nap, video shoot at a car repair and then home to do house/yard work.

Too sum it up, Monday came waaaaaaay too quick.

Another weekend is sneaking up on us and this time will include a trip to the parents homestead where three out of five of us siblings are gathering to help the parents do some landscaping reconstruction (or I should say destruction). Then it will be a trip back home with one day filled with church and dinner with friends and then one day working on the yard.

Whew! I'm ready for a nap!

Hope everyone has a fantastic weekend!

closed

The Eatery will be closed for business this weekend due to a celebration.

12 years ago tomorrow a wedding took place bringing together two, much younger, people. Since then, there has been four moves, two kids, 5 vehicles, vacations, highs, lows, memories and a growing friendship like no other.

I am so very thankful for the man I married.

Today we celebrate.

A day away.

I love you Ed, for our life together and for many more years to come.

Tonight's feature

Tonight at The Eatery, there was a shortage of ketchup. So instead of going out and buying a bottle, I figured it couldn't be that hard to make it from scratch. With little time left before the homemade fries were done, a quick making recipe was located with all ingredients found in the old mother cupboard.

The survey (two restaurant regulars under six and one over 35) said thumbs sideways to down. The chef agreed.

Too sweet.

The hands are itching to experiment again and the kitchen is rearing to go.

The next recipe has been found.

Will it be too salty?

Or just right?

Results to come.

The Eatery

The Eatery. Now open.

Main course: Homemade chicken and brown rice soup chalked full of yummy veggies.

Salad: Organic mix of spring greens, topped with rippened red strawberries, crunchy sunflower seeds, perfect pecans and dressing of choice.

Dessert: Small bowl of non homemade icecream. :)

randomness

I find it rather odd that my computer says it is 84 degrees outside yet here I sit with a short sleeve shirt on, a long sleeve sweater, long pants and a pair of socks. And the air conditioning is not on. Can't complain about that!!

Princess has a long sleeve/pant jumpsuit on sitting next to me making snakes and bread out of the play dough (and I was informed that the snakes do go in the bread so the snakes can say "sssssss"). Will be some fantastic bread!

We received yet another gift in the mail on Saturday in which we are able
to use for our anniversary this weekend. Humbled and awed again by
God's blessings being showered upon us during this season of our lives.
Living the message that our pastor spoke about yesterday. Choosing to
be content with what we have. Choosing to not go away for a weekend and
being blessed in a totally different way where we are now able to "get
away" for a bit.

During my morning study, God made me aware of some issues going on in my heart. Issues I was completely unaware of until the brick hit me between the eyes. A wake up call, if you may. Now learning to fully accept Christ's forgiveness on these matters even when I feel like I don't deserve it. Learning about His grace and mercy
all over again.

recap

Monday: Finding out that clamp on biking shoes are a lot harder to get used to than what was previously thought. Learning that the brain is one tricky instrument in how it interacts with the rest of the body. Your eyes SEE that the right foot is FREE from it's restraint. The brain says, "HELOOL!!! Your right foot is FREE, lean to the right!" and yet the body says, "Must get off on the left. Must get off on the left. Must get off on the left." in which case, the left foot is NOT free and the driveway comes rushing up very quickly to meet you, still connected to your bike. Then finding out that the grass is softer than the driveway, not by much though, and that the bike is still just as hard when it sandwiches you between itself and the ground.

Tuesday: Receiving a "need you to come and pick us up" call while on a walk with the princess. Two roaring trains of thought were: broken bones or blood. Blood was the winner. A chin full of skin is implanted on the pavement in the neighborhood behind us, left by an adventerous, thrill-seeking, bike-riding six year old.

Wednesday: Learning once again to be patient with what the future holds for our family. Waiting is a word that is becoming cemented in our brains.

Thursday: Finding a 2nd humbling blessing in the mail that still leaves us speachless. Meeting someone new. Staying out until 11:30 and not realizing it.

Friday: A bright, warm sunny day of playing baseball in the driveway, enjoying strawberries and baking.

Saturday: A party for a good friend and her little baby.

Sunday: Time to reflect on the week, worship with a multitude of others and celebrate two women in our lives who have given so much of themselves.