mhmm monday

Another super yum dessert to try from this website.

Raspberry Lemonade Pound Cake

Ingredients:
3 cups granulated sugar
1½ cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
¼ cup fresh grated lemon zest (about 3-4 large lemons)
5 large eggs, room temperature
¾ cup fresh lemon juice (about 3-4 large lemons)
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
12 ounces fresh raspberries, washed and drained

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325°F. Butter and flour a 12-cup Bundt pan.
In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to combine lemon zest and sugar. The sugar will become yellow and the mixture will smell aromatic when it is ready. Add butter, mix until mixed. Add eggs beat until well combined. Sprinkle salt and baking powder into batter and beat until combined. Add flour 1 cup at a time, alternating with ½ of lemon juice. Add ½ of the raspberries (about 6 ounces), stir to combine.
Pour batter into prepared Bundt pan. Sprinkle the reserved raspberries over top and gently press into the batter with a spatula (this will help keep the raspberries from all ending up on the top). Tap pan on the counter several times to release air bubbles. Bake 1 hour 15 minutes or until a thin sharp knife comes out of the center clean. Place on a wire rack to cool for 20 minutes. Place a plate over the pan and flip cake onto plate to continue cooling completely. You may have to tap pan a few times with a knife to release from pan.

GLAZE
2 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons fresh grated lemon zest
12 ounces fresh raspberries, washed and drained

While cake is cooling prepare the glaze. Combine sugar, lemon juice and zest. Beat with an electric mixer until well combined. Glaze should be the consistency of corn syrup, add more powdered sugar (a tablespoon at a time) if necessary to thicken glaze. I added about 10 raspberries to the icing to make it pink, reserved the rest for garnish.
Drizzle the glaze over the cooled cake. Garnish with reserved raspberries.
Enjoy!

Blessings

Beautiful Thing ~ week # 39

On Sunday, we were in Toronto supporting our daughter as she ran the Island Girl Half-Marathon. 
 
The road was long, with the bends and curves that hid the end from view and despite the rain and the wind, our island girl gave it her best and ran the race in 2:01:38... WOW!   Folks that’s 21.1K in just over 2 hours…

These moments ~ these are the snapshots of life that are the treasures that I cherish.

Life happens, and it happens quick! And if we’re not careful we can miss the moments, both big and small. 

“Enjoy the little things,

for one day you may look back

and realize they were the big things.”

~ Robert Brault

Too often, I've allowed too many other things to clutter my mind and have therefore lost my focus on what is truly important.

As you to take some time this week, may you be encouraged to take notice of the many blessings that are in your life.

What was your beautiful thing this week?

Blessings

Listen to God...

YOU SAY...                                                                      GOD SAYS...

I am afraid …                                                                                        2 Timothy 1:7

I am no longer useful because I am weak and broken...         2 Corinthians 12:9

If I had enough faith, I would be healed...                                   John 16:33

I am alone…                                                                                         Matthew 28:20

My situation is hopeless...                                                             Hebrews 6:19-20

It is impossible to live like this...                                                 Luke 18:27  

There is no good that can come from this…                             2  Corinthians 1:4  
 
I can no longer showcase Christ...                                                2 Corinthians 4:6-7   

I don't know how to pray anymore...                                             Romans 8:26
 
I'm too tired to keep fighting…                                                    Exodus 14:14   

God doesn't love me…                                                                       John 3:16    
 
I have no one who understands...                                                 Hebrews 4:15  

I need to understand why this is happening...                         Proverbs 3:5-6 
 
I am no longer beautiful...                                                            1 Samuel 16:7   

I need help...                                                                                       Hebrews 4:16

I can't do this...                                                                                   Philippians 4:13

What does the fture hold...                                                         Jeremiah 29:11

{all scriptures are NIV from biblegateway.com}

Too often I find myself listening to what I say or even the what the world has to say, I need to remember listen to what God says.

Who do you listen to?

Blessings

Perhaps

Last week was a challenging week for me.  I was hurting all over.  Life with a chronic illness is always hard, but there are some days when it is particularly difficult to face life with courage and joy. I'm physically tired and it wears me down, and sometimess, I grow so weary from the fight. It’s been a real struggle.

If you have an invisible illness you have likely heard people say, “well, you look fine” or “you just need to keep pushing yourself”, or “we all have health issues” and quite possibly the worst one is “you’re just lucky that you can afford to not work”.  I'm sorry ~ what? Despite the cliché sayings about “sticks and stones” ~ words can hurt.

Sharp, cutting words can wound us deeply. And sadly, the deepest wounds often come from those we love and care about. When we are already sinking low from illness, and a sharp tongue stabs us through the heart, we can be brought even lower. Why do simple, even well-intentioned words hurt so much?

As my chronic illness stays, well... chronic... people start to question the validity of it. I want to be able to share the ups and downs but not sound like I am complaining, but sometimes it’s all just too much, you know?

I guess there will always be people who will be sceptical about how much my life is impacted by my condition. We are each on a life journey and that journey may take us in many directions; our paths will cross with many people ~ some we will value and others we may wish we haven’t met at all. 

Life can be tough and sometimes we feel like we are facing it alone. May we remember that that is when Christ carries us.

One thing I am sure of, however, is that God does want us to have friends on this journey. Perhaps we should remind ourselves to be more helpful, walking alongside each other as we travel this journey together. 

Blessings

mhmm monday

Muffins are always great to have on hand. So when the Mennonite Girls can Cook posted this recipe, I knew it one to add to the list to help welcome the autumn season
Whole wheat Carrot Applesauce Muffins 

Ingredients:
¾ cups of brown sugar
1 ½ cups whole wheat flour
1 ½ cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup raisins
2 cups grated carrots
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 ¼ cups milk
½ cup oil
4 beaten eggs

Directions:
Combine the first 9 ingredients coating the raisins and carrots well with the flour mixture.
In a separate bowl combine all the wet ingredients.
Mix well but do not over mix.
Bake in a preheated oven at 375 for 15-20 minutes. {makes 18}
Enjoy!

Blessings

Beautiful Thing ~ week # 38

It started last Saturday when my daughter and I spent most of the day making salsa.   We found ourselves with time at the end of the day to take a walk through the park trail and with the beautiful weather we took advantage of it.

On Tuesday, “the kids” needed some help moving furniture from one place to another and of course we were willing to loan them our truck and one able body {her dad}.  After enjoying a sumptuous dinner, our evening concluded with… that’s right, taking another walk together, this time through town.

Thursday found the two of us together again, when I worked at the centre for her. She then treated me with a trip to Costco and no trip to there is complete without Starbucks.

Spending time together is always fun. These are moments that are the real treasures in life.

What was your beautiful thing this week?

Blessings

{not} a party

there are some days, like today, the pain flare ups still get to me and i sit here and have my own little pity party.  

pain wouldn’t be so bad, if it didn’t hurt so much.

i am a type-a person, and a planner {shocking, i know}. despite those qualities, i still had no idea that these were headed my way! having been diagnosed with a chronic illness reminded me that i, alone can not control what happens in my life. but being the control freak that i am, it still wreaked havoc in my head. i was afraid because i had no idea how to deal with it all.

my life journey took a turn i never expected, or one i had planned for.  i stressed and worried; i created alternate endings in my mind. i dreamt of how different it could be if only…

it’s hard to let go.

but since there is nothing i can do. i must learn to accept the limitations that i have and only do what it is that i can do and to stop comparing myself to others. when i am tempted to overdo to prove that i am just as capable as other people, i need to remind myself it is okay to say no. it doesn’t make it easier, but it is affecting me less; and my trust in God is growing.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.” {Proverbs 3:5&6 New International Version {NIV}}.

there will be circumstances beyond our control, decisions that we will make ~ both right and wrong. we think that our lives will work out in a certain way, but then things change and the reality is far different it can be hard to accept.  while i may not know what the future holds, i do know the one who holds my future.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11 {New International Version {NIV}}

Blessings