Alfredo Potato

A quick, simple dinner we really like...

Top a baked potato with steamed broccoli, sauteed mushrooms, and alfredo sauce. I LOVE this recipe for alfredo sauce OR you can go with the jar kind. Enjoy! :)

Week 3 of C25K

Today was "hump day" of Week 3, which entails 2 repetitions of the following:

*90 seconds running/90 seconds walking
*3 minutes running/3 minutes walking

I've really felt good this week, except for the very last minute of the second 3 minute run. The little guy on my podcast says, "One more minute" and it has the opposite of its intended effect. But I've finished both times, so yay me. I did have a moment of weakness when I started the wrong week of my podcast this morning and was told to "jog for 28 minutes". Uh, yeah. My first thought was, "There's no way I can ever jog for 28 minutes". But, I suppose I can and at some point, WILL!

This week's running has been made more fun by a few unexpected gifts. On Friday Dad surprised me with a new pink ipod shuffle, and it's AWESOME! It's about the size of a key, the headphones stay in my ears, it clips right onto my clothes, and it talks to me. I love it!

Also, my sweet husband got me some cushy ankle socks that keep my shoes from rubbing my ankles and a long sleeved shirt so I don't have to wear my sweatshirt. Good times.

So, the journey continues with a few new accessories!

Yummy-ness

Last week at my in-laws, I made something really yummy. I can say this because...

a)I got the idea from someone else.
b)I don't typically brag about my cooking.
AND
c)IT JUST WAS!!!

It was SO yummy that I've been thinking about it ever since and it got me reminiscing about my journey to pescetarianism (the fancy word I just learned for my vegetarian + fish diet). It was a slow letting go of different kinds of meat, gradual in large part because I had no clue what I would eat if my meals didn't center on meat! However, watching my very dear and mostly vegan friend Elaine eat for over a year taught me that eating a healthy, delicious variety of foods was possible without eating meat. And so, I let go of all but fish, which I eat 3-4 times a month, and set off in search of wonderful, flavorful (mostly) vegetarian food.

Many people who learn of my dietary choices have the same question that I did..."what do you eat???"! And so, I thought that maybe when I discover something as yummy as I did last Thursday, I would share it and others might be inspired to discover how good veggie food really can be!

I've named Thursday's recipe Party Couscous and its inspiration was Stephanie Brock, wife of Dr. Brian Brock, Professor of Moral Theology at the University of Aberdeen. To make Party Couscous, you'll need couscous, sundried tomatoes, fresh spinach, walnuts, and goat cheese.
All we could find in Clovis was the boxed, pre-flavored couscous. We went with Garlic and Olive Oil, and it was delicious. For three of us, we used 2 boxes and had more than enough, plus a lot of leftovers! Cook the couscous according to the box directions. Then add...

• chopped sundried tomatoes (I used about half a jar. Don't chop them too small or they don't provide that strong flavor you want.)
• spinach (I used about 3 cups...it was awesome, 'cause some of it steamed up and some of it didn't, making the whole dish a bit salady.
• chopped walnuts (I used about a cup and would probably use more next time.)
• one of those 8 oz. plastic containers of goat cheese (Next time I would add this RIGHT BEFORE serving so that it doesn't melt away)

SO, throw it in, stir it up, and then eat it up, because I think you'll love it! :)

Couch to 5K Update

So today, I finished Week 2 of my Couch to 5K running program. This week included alternating 90 seconds of running and 2 minutes of walking for 20 minutes. Monday was a bit rough. My body felt like lead and I couldn't seem to catch my breath, but I pushed through and finished and the rest of the week was much better, aside from a few hiccups.
On Tuesday, Fall arrived with a bang and I knew Wednesday would be a VERY cold morning for running. I threw together whatever I could find considering a lifetime of avoiding exercise and and living out of a suitcase. I ended up in a very entertaining outfit consisting of my grandpa's old navy sweatpants, which were baggy on top and went about halfway down my calves. Under these were my pink Smartwool socks and mom's white/orange running shoes. On top was my favorite "Senioritis" t-shirt and my red Hard Rock half hoodie. It was a clown outfit. But, it mostly kept me warm, except for my hands which I shoved in my pockets whenever I could! Wednesday was also the day I dropped my ipod and attempted to keep running while picking it up and plugging it back in. It was pretty cool.
Also on the cool side, both Friday and Monday I finished running with blood on my right ankle. Apparently I kick myself while running. Then, over the weekend when I didn't run I realized...apparently I kick myself while WALKING! It just took running for me to figure it out. So...I'm working on NOT kicking myself! As far as I know, there was no kicking today.
Today was a wee bit warmer and we ran a wee bit later, so aside from having to stare directly into the sunrise while rounding the first half of the track, things went pretty well. My right earbud only fell out of my ear once. I wore gloves, one of which I dropped and was recovered by my husband, the other one being thrown off somewhere around lap 3. And at some point, I started to catch a glimpse of the kind of running that seasoned runners talk about. I felt light. I had a lot less of those "If I don't stop, I might die" moments, and I kept a pretty good pace.
So, bring it on, Week 3!

Radical Grace

Today my husband preached a great sermon on James 2:1-13, which I'll call the "Partiality Passage". He and I recently finished studying James and he's been preaching on it for several weeks. I've enjoyed the repetition and the insight that he's brought, which has really deepened my understanding and allowed the Spirit to work on my heart and life in new ways.
Today's message really challenged me and I wanted to share it. A word of warning that this is my own paraphrasing and "working out" of this morning's message...I hope I don't butcher it! (Sorry babe, if I do...)

Rusty used James 2:8-12 to talk about sin as a "great equalizer". In this passage, the author reminds us that we have ALL sinned...even if our transgressions don't make the "Top 10", we have all fallen short of the goodness that God created us for, whether it's adultery, murder, partiality, etc. To those of us who are really good at "classifying" sins and breathing sighs of relief that we aren't like those people, James writes, "So speak and so act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty" (James 2:12). Rather than dwell on or even glory in the sin and failings of others, we are to remember that it is by the grace of God and the faithfulness of Jesus Christ that we are forgiven, transformed and restored. We cannot forget where we have come from and what God has done in our lives. It is not by our own power or goodness that we are set free from sin...it's nothing to do with us at all!

Because of this amazing grace, mercy ought to be one of the foremost character traits of the Christian community. However, I must observe that many of us, myself included, are sadly lacking in this area. Somewhere along the way, we've developed a low tolerance for others, being very quick to find fault and sit in condemnation. We've become stingy with "the benefit of the doubt", instead taking great measures to prevent being taken advantage of. We are critical. We nurse anger and grudge and paranoia. We look at others through the eyes of judgement, rather than the perfect law of liberty which reminds us from whence we have come and by whom we have been redeemed.

As if our own experience with God's radical grace and forgiveness shouldn't be enough to cause such grace and mercy to overflow from our lives, James writes a warning in chapter 2, verse 13, "For judgement will be without mercy to anyone who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgement". Judgement without mercy...this is no small warning.

Friends, I confess that radical grace is often missing from my own life. I confess that I let the first impressions or known failures of others taint my view of them. I confess that I show favoritism. I confess that many times I do not forgive easily or radically. I confess that I get my feelings hurt quickly and I stay hurt. I confess that I gossip and delight in others' drama.

God forgive me for cheapening your grace by refusing to let it overflow from my life into others'. I have not forgotten what I would be without your free, amazing, endless, boundless, radical grace which I have done nothing to deserve. Teach me your grace. Use me as a vessel of your amazing love.

Counting My Blessings

Ok, so I won't lie. It's been really easy to feel like a loser since we came back to Clovis. I won't go into the reasons why, because it's probably self explanatory, and there's no reason to dwell on it, SO...I was thinking today how very blessed we have been during this time and how many of our prayers have been answered, so I thought I'd take the time to acknowledge those answered prayers, thank God for His faithfulness and provision, and let some of my loved ones know that they've been a vessel of blessing.
First is Grandma. I have always had a special relationship with my Grandma Betty and she has enriched and blessed my life in so many ways. Now she's opened up her home to Rusty and I, providing us a place to live and so much more. We get to enjoy her company and her wisdom, but she gives us the space and privacy we need. She is also the reason we have a vehicle to drive, letting us use her old Blazer as our own.
Our parents have been amazing too. We shouldn't need them so much at this age, but they've taken care of us in so many ways, letting us know they love our company, rather than making us feel like a disappointment.
Rusty's parents have opened up their home to the Grand-pets, our pup and 2 kitties, which means a lot of hair and mess that their immaculate home doesn't usually have. We miss our girls SO MUCH but they are so well loved and cared for that we can leave them knowing they're happy and well. Randy and Barbara have also taken us out and invited us in for many meals and helped us with lots of other needs that have come up.
My own parents have spoiled us incredibly as well, feeding us A LOT, taking us to games, giving us gas (the car kind!), a cell phone, etc. And now, in another answer to prayer, they've given me a job in their lab, a very pleasant work environment, and of course, a paycheck!
Another huge blessing has been the Broadview Church of the Nazarene, where Rusty is serving as the interim pastor during our time here. The small community there has been a wonderful encouragement to us and especially to Rusty who has really enjoyed the chance to preach and minister there.
We're just surrounded by friends and family members who provide support, encouragement, and company, as well as a lot of good food. So, after this wee assessment, I'd say that God has been more than faithful to provide for us and I am very, very thankful. So, thank you friends, thank you family, thank you Lord. You make it hard to feel like a loser. :)

Couch to 5K Day 1

So after my run last Friday, I decided I couldn't continue relying on the way I felt to determine my running plan. I got online and found the "Couch to 5K" program, which is designed to help beginners build up to a 3 mile run in 9 weeks.
Today's plan was to run for 60 seconds and walk for 90 for a total of 20 minutes, which, if my math was right, was 8 rotations and worked out to about 8 laps around the track. I also decided to slow down, as most things I read suggested a pace at which you could "carry on a conversation", and that definitely wasn't happening before today!
So, with my new plan and my new pace, it was a very successful day. I finished the plan, it was very doable, but I also worked hard. I will say that it's easy to distract yourself when you're trying to time intervals using the teeny tiny numbers on your ipod! Also, as usual, Rusty was working SO HARD and it's such a help to look across and see him running along.
So, Day 1 down...

Learning to Run

If you know me very well, you've probably heard me make fun of my athletic ability (or lack thereof) and declare my lifelong goal to be the avoidance of running, especially in public. The annual Presidential Fitness test was the bane of my school years, and I still have nightmares about doing the Shuttle Run while my classmates look on from the bleachers! In fact, I even took Summer School P.E., electing to get up at 7am on summer mornings rather than do physical activity in front of my classmates during a regular school day.

Over the years, I've used joking to mask my embarrassment at my lack of physical ability and fitness. I figured if I convinced myself and everyone else that I didn't care or want to have anything to do with exercise (specifically running), I wouldn't have to deal with the embarrassment or hard work involved with actually trying, or even worse, failing!

A couple of weeks ago, I went to visit Tiffany, who is working incredibly hard to train for a 10k in Denver to benefit Women for Women International, specifically Congolese women. By the way, if you're inspired to sponsor her, you can do so here. (She will kill me for adding that link, but she's too far away for me to be worried.) She continued her training during my visit and inspired me to give running a try, for several reasons. Aside from the physical benefits and the desire to develop healthy habits while I am young, I wanted to quiet the voices (that are my own!) that tell me the idea of my doing anything physical is laughable. I wanted to put in the work to do something good for myself. I was also remembering something I read in Compassion about patience. The authors describe patience as a 3rd option we have when our desired response is fight or flight. Instead, patience gives us the strength to endure, to be fully present and to live in the present. When I read that, I realized that I often have very little patience with difficult things and that I often "fly" before I even try, wanting to preserve myself from embarrassment and failure.

So, for these reasons and more, I ran. Tiffany developed a little plan for me, gave me a little space and a lot of encouragement, and I did it. It was hard work, I looked, sounded, and felt like I was going to die, but I didn't, and I felt so good afterward. So, I decided to continue, and Rusty and I have started a three-times-a-week running regimen. Mom gave me some running shoes, Rusty put a running mix on my ipod, and off we went. I'd love to say that it felt good or that I accomplished more each day. It didn't and I haven't. But with a little encouragement from my new running partner, I have gone, and for now, that in itself is pretty big.

So here I am, a 27 year old new runner. Usually that would send me looking for something mocking or witty to say about the fact that I'm not athletic and can't run. But not this time. For now I am patiently learning to reprogram my thinking and to run.

A Note to Myself

Last Friday, my parents took Rusty and I to the local Clovis High School football game. High school football is a HUGE part of the culture in Clovis and just about the only thing happening on a Friday night. My high school years were full of football games, making that stadium the site of much teenage angst. As I sat with my parents in their Season Ticketholder seats, my mind wandered back to those nights spent in the "Dog Pound" where the students sit. As I looked around, I realized that while the stadium hadn't changed, I had, and there was so much I wished I could tell the high school me.
Here are a couple of things I wish I could tell myself back then...
"No one's looking at you! Stop being so concerned about what you're wearing and what you look like and what everyone else might be thinking, because everyone else is probably thinking about themselves too! Relax, enjoy yourself, get comfortable in your own skin. Don't let your insecurities dictate your actions. Try new things. Have fun! Life is so much bigger than this teenage drama. What seems like a big deal now really isn't in the scheme of things. Try to look at the big picture and enjoy this time, because it's flying by."

Fun in Denver/My Amazing Husband

This past week (thanks to a very generous gift of Continental points from Mom & Dad), I got the chance to visit my dear friend Tiffany in Denver. We had hit a 7 month record of time in between visits and it had been WAY TOO LONG!!!
We had a wonderful time and did some things we've never done on our visits before, like run and hike! There's actually some pictures of us outside. Tiffany is an amazing hostess and friend. She took me out, drove me around, made me delicious vegetarian meals, got me started running, etc. I also got to meet some of her Denver friends, see her in action as a church intern, and just have some of those wonderful best friend talks we always have.
Her husband David was also super kind and gracious. Despite having to study for some very intense nursing school tests and projects, he took time to show me around and hang out with us and he was awesome about sharing his wife and home for so long.
Here's some pics of our trip...

I also have to give a shout out to my incredible husband who spent the weekend I was gone helping put on a ginormous garage sale to help my family. He worked tirelessly clearing out a storage unit, unpacking boxes, dumping trash, etc., etc. And me made my lovely grandma VERY HAPPY by cleaning out her garage. This is not the first time Rusty has done something amazing for me and/or my family while I've been away and I'm so thankful for a husband who not only loves me but loves my family and is happy to work so hard for all of us. I love you babe!