The Bull and Thistle

I have a passion for community and economic development work. This is one aspect of my work with the Cooperative Extension Service that is relatively new to me within the past four years. I am still learning the "ins and outs" of CED work, but I want to see communities thrive, work together on common goals, and be successful in meeting their challenges, dreams, and aspirations. I love to see communities at work improving things for the well being of their citizens. Fired up communities create jobs and expand into new markets and industries. They are willing to change and be forward thinking. I love seeing communities alive and bursting with energy and excitement. When community stakeholders, government, and local citizens see their own local potential within themselves the possibilities I believe are endless! I enjoy helping and serving in whatever capacity necessary to help play my part in the process too. What about you?

I believe here in Tompkinsville we have a lot of great things going for us right now. Change is slowly happening downtown and around the county, but it is going to take time and more investments. It is time we all get fired up about the now and the future, not the past and how it has always been done before. Dreams turn into goals which when carried out develop communities and change our future. I hope that we can locally here in Tompkinsville keep this momentum going and possibly create more of a buzz. Are you willing to help? We need your help! If it takes a village to raise a child...then it is going to take an entire county plus many others to invest in our communities future. In a few weeks there is going to be a "Community Forum" on April 18th at 6:30 p.m. If you want to help be a part of the envisioning process & hear about the possibilities of our future please make plans on attending the Community Forum on April 18th. We want you there! We need you there! My future...your future...your children's future...and our communities future depend on your input and investment in Monroe County.     

Now that I'm all fired up, let me tell you the real reason why I got all excited about community and economic development today. Yesterday I got the privilege to have a family date night with my awesome parents. My mama mentioned that the "new" restaurant finally opened in Gainesboro and I just had to go. She had been giving me updates on this "new" restaurant for the past year or so...so needless to say I was excited about going. We packed up and traveled there for dinner last night and boy were we in for a treat!    

We got the opportunity to visit a community where one family had a vision and a dream to help be a part of reviving a suffering community in order put it back on the map. This community is Gainesboro, Tennessee.  The town is now hustling and bustling with new life. One whole corner of the town square just recently went through a multi-million dollar complete remodel. Gainesboro now is the home of two newly renovated buildings with a third one on its way soon. The Vault Boutique opened its doors last year and offers ladies jewelry, apparel, fashion accessories, and home décor. The Bull and Thistle, an Celtic/Irish pub & restaurant, opened its doors a few weeks ago with a five star chef from Ireland. This restaurant is one you must go check out! (This is the reason we went to Gainesboro!) And word on the street is that a bakery is in the works for the near future.

I urge you to make the drive from wherever you live and travel to Gainesboro, Tennessee. You will not be disappointed. I would recommend you call ahead and make reservations if you plan on eating at The Bull and Thistle before making the drive though. 

Here are a few photos that I took while we visited yesterday.

The main reason we traveled to Gainesboro, TN...to eat at The Bull & Thistle! Yummy! They have an awesome chef.

 

 

They have lots of antique shops around the square in downtown Gainesboro, TN. We couldn't help but stop at a few along the way!

 

 

 

Cool signage around Gainesboro, TN.

 

 

 Mama and I at dinner! We both got ready at our own houses...and we matched without ever talking about it. LOL. Like mother...like daughter.

 

 

The cool original ceiling they restored.

 

The awesome surroundings of the newly renovated restaurant. These photos do not do the building justice!

 

 

Ploughman's Lunch. This is what mama ate...she said it was good, but not exactly what she expected. I think next time when she comes she plans on her and daddy sharing the 22 oz. T-Bone Beef Entrée Special. My mama is a planner!  

 

 

Dad was a little skeptical when his "Traditional Fish and Chips" came all wrapped up in newspaper. He really enjoyed them, but this Southern Boy never had had his fish arrive in newspaper before! We were proud to see them wrapped in a local newspaper with an ad from Celina (our hometown).

 

 

I got the Bangers and Mash...it was a perfect comfort food for the Savage Girl!  

We could not leave without trying one of their delicious sounding desserts "Steamed Chocolate Fondant Pudding with hot chocolate sauce and chocolate ice cream". It was heavenly!

 

 

In closing, I hope that everyone makes a drive to Gainesboro, TN to check out what's new in their town and if you are a Monroe Countian please come to "town" and attend the Community Forum on April 18th at 6:30 p.m. at the Monroe County High School Gym. Let me know if you have any questions about either of these above mentioned topics. 

Cool link to information about this downtown renovation & community and economic development project in Gainesboro, TN.

My Water Aerobics Ritual + Chocolate Peanut Butter Shake Tutorial

A weekend ritual for me is to go to the gym and do water aerobics with my mom on Saturday mornings and then again on Sunday afternoons. This has been our little ritual for more than a year now. We also try to do this at least a few other times during the week if our schedules allow it. I enjoy taking a class every now and again also. Mom and I have our own little routine that we do in the water at the gym and this is our special mother daughter time to catch-up and fill each other in on what has been happening. We usually try to sneak in a 45 to 60 minute workout. What I love about water aerobics is that it does not even feel like you are working out while you are doing it. 

 

Water aerobics is a great exercise that is non-weight bearing, easy on the joints, resistance training, and aerobic exercise that is done in the water. Anyone can do it and it does not matter what limitations you have. It is a total body workout that helps tone and shape muscles you never knew you had before! The added bonus is that you don't sweat and I'm all about that!

 

Chocolate Peanut Butter Shake Tutorial

 

Today after water aerobics I decided to fix a shake for lunch. My cousin Abbie sent me this recipe a few weeks ago and I adapted it to my taste. She uses Chocolate Nesquik & ice with unfrozen banana, but either way it is a must try! Trust me...you will become addicted if you like chocolate and peanut butter.   

 



 

1/2 cup vanilla yogurt or frozen yogurt

1/2 cup skim milk

1/2 scoop slim fast chocolate drink mix

1 tablespoon peanut butter

1 frozen banana

Place all ingredients into your blender and blend until smooth and creamy.

 



 

Enjoy! It's yummy and addicting!

I calculated this to be 7 Weight Watcher Points.

Tip: Whenever you have bananas that are going bad, slice and freeze them for your next shake or smoothie.  

 

 

Do you have a ritual that you do regularly that you enjoy? Do you have a favorite shake or smoothie recipe? Please share if you do...it might motivate me to try something new! 

A Savage Girl’s Confession: 1 of My Guilty Addictions

I am addicted to Diet Coke.

This is an honest confession...seriously.  

I am a “Southern Girl” with all the southern goodness, southern charm, and southern accents you could ever want! So whenever I say “Diet Coke” I am meaning any beverage that is diet. “Coke” is the general name for any carbonated canned or bottled beverage yet “Coke-Cola” is a brand name. In the South, it is not soda, pop, soft drink, or soda pop…it is simply coke and in my case here diet coke. LOL.       

It has been 1 month and counting since I drank my last carbonated artificial sweetened calorie free drink of goodness. To be more specific and exact it has been that long since I drank any carbonated beverage unless it was in some punch secretly added without my knowledge! Tea, coffee, water, milk and lemonade have been my drinks of choice for the past month. Why you might ask? Well, this Savage Girl is trying to live healthier and make wiser lifestyle choices to improve her overall health and well-being.
 
So let me get all technical on you now. Research shows that sometimes one dietary change in one’s daily habits will decrease ones calorie intake 100 calories, which will in turn help you lose weight. There is also strong evidence that shows those individuals who drink more carbonated and sugar-sweetened beverages are heavier when compared to individuals who consume less. More research shows that non-nutritive sweeteners cause ones appetite to increase and in turn cause more calorie consumption, which would lead to weight gain. People think they can drink a diet coke and eat a piece of cake, but what we need to keep in mind that the diet coke isn’t causing us to gain weight it is everything else we are consuming with it! And yes the Savage Girl is guilty of this!  

Then there are studies where consumers lost weight drinking diet cokes. Therefore, the evidence to drink diet coke or not to drink diet coke is undecided. If you are like me and want to lose weight & have a healthier lifestyle then choose whatever drink you want but do not forget about your lifestyle, eating habits, and physical activity.

I had been hanging onto weight since Thanksgiving. Technically speaking I hit a plateau from November through February. A plateau is a stall in the weight loss journey but one should not get discouraged! Deep down I knew that in order to get back on track and lose the last 25 pounds to reach my goal I had to make a change, take charge again, and it was not going to be easy! It did not matter how much or how little food I consumer. It did not matter how much I moved or when I exercised. I was stuck so I made the big decision to cut out my “Diet Cokes” from my daily drink consumption. In addition to the research, I mentioned above, I also know that diet cokes contain sodium and artificial sweeteners, which cause fluid retention and blooding according to the FDA. I am happy to report an update on my recent health and lifestyle change…admitting to myself that I have a diet coke obsession and addiction helped me refocus and get back on the healthy lifestyle bus.
 
As of today, March 29, I have lost 50 pounds! In the last 8 weeks since I last updated the blogging world on my success I have lost an additional 7 pounds, 1 inch in my waist, 2 inches in my hips, and 1 inch in my bust while gaining a ½ inch of muscle in my arms and staying the same in my thighs. I am 3.7 points away from reaching the BMI that I desire to put me in a healthy range to avoid the chronic diseases associated with being overweight and obese. I know I cannot run from my inherited genetic pre-deposition in life but I know the choices I make can have a direct effect on my current health and future lifestyle. I know that I can not prevent the inevitable but maybe I can prolong it or lessen the affects.

Making the small change of cutting out my diet cokes I believe can be a testament to my success and moving off the plateau! It is a pleasure I miss, but I know I can do without it. We were warned in 2 Timothy 3:4 about being lovers of pleasure instead of God. In Ecclesiastes 2:1-2 we are told that pleasures, like my Diet Coke addiction, are meaningless because it does not accomplish anything. On a series note and with keeping with all those things I mentioned above...what guilty addiction or pleasure are you hiding in your closet? You might not want to blog about it like me, but maybe you need to admit and confess your addiction to yourself or maybe God…Just a thought.            

Resources:

The Power of One Dietary Change in Losing Weight

Rethink Your Drink

Are Drinks Making Us Fat

FDA

Low Calorie Sweeteners and Weight Gain...Do Diet Drinks Make You Fat?

Making Healthy Beverage Choices: What You Don't Know Can Hurt You

 

 

Service

 

 

For those of you who do not know this pledge it is the "4-H Club" pledge. I learned this pledge in the 4th grade at Celina K-8 and it has been something near and dear to my heart since. I got the opportunity to share my 4-H passion as a 4-H Youth Development Extension Agent in Franklin County, Tennessee from 2006-2009. My favorite line is "My hands to large service". Service is an act of helpful activity, help, or aid. My parents taught me this from a very young age long before I was a 4-H'er. Serving and giving is a passion of mine. I love giving back and helping others. Sometimes I have a hard time saying NO. I know Jesus says that it is better to give than to receive according to Acts 20:35. Matthew 5:16 says, "In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven." I don't think God would give me more than I could handle, so I'm up for the challenge!

 

Today I got to help out a fellow Christian sister. She has been under the weather for the past few days and she asked if I could fill in for her. So I said yes! Tonight I got the opportunity to help her out and teach the teen girls class during the bible study hour. My normal teaching quarter is July-September and I've always taught elementary kids bible classes, so tonight was a little different, but I enjoyed the challenge and new opportunity to teach the teen girls class. 

 

On the agenda tonight was to start a character study of the women in the bible, so we kicked it off learning about Eve tonight. I challenged the girls to not blame others like both Adam and Eve did when they sinned and ate the forbidden fruit in the garden. I challenged them to stop the blame game and own up to their sin. "If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness" 1 John 1:8-9. I know that I am not perfect and I am as guilty as everyone else about playing the "blame game" of blaming others for my sins. We must own up to our sins and confess them instead of blaming our friends, parents, spouse, job, your circumstance, finances, God, etc. We can enjoy forgiveness and peace when we confess our sins. 

 

I am thankful for Eve and the possibilities that I might one day be given because of her sinful act in the garden (thinking about a future family one day...). Because of Adam & Eve and their sin we get to experience childbirth, husbands being the head of the household, hard work, labor & service, and death. These are just a few thoughts about all the future possibilities that lie ahead in life for me and possibly you...   

My Dig Deeper

One of my goals this year was to put God first in my life. This should be on every Christian’s list of priorities and goals annually…just saying, but I’m not your judge...God is. And sometimes even I need a reality check about this and lately I’ve had several check-ups on life priorities! I feel I lack in this area some so this year I wanted to focus more on my spiritual life and dig deeper into my faith and what I believe. I’m striving to become a godly follower of Christ, daughter, sister, friend, county agent, student, and one day future wife and mother if Mr. Right arrives. So to dig deeper this year I have been trying to focus more on this part of my life. To help me stay focused I thought I needed to review and check-in on what I’ve been doing thus far into the year…and no this is not to brag...it is just a self-reality check-up for myself...and I thought my blog readers out there might enjoy the read.

1. Daily Bible Reading & Devotional—This year I decided I wanted to try reading the bible in its entirety cover to cover. At the age of 28 I’ve never done this before, so I thought it was about time that I did this! I’ve started many times, but got off the band wagon. I know that reading your bible daily is an easy way to stay close to God and have Him on your mind, so I put this on my daily to do list this year. The great thing is that the scripture verses and devotional are emailed to me each day. Thus far I’ve been successful at keeping up with this!
2. Pray More—I’m trying to talk more to God each day...in the good times and the bad. 1 Thessalonians 5:17-18 says to “Pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus”.
3. Attend regular worship services & bibles studies AND seek out OTHER opportunities when possible to either SERVE or BE SERVED—I'm there whenever the doors are open for services but I know that's not enough. Sometimes you need a little "extra". This weekend I got the opportunity to attend a Young Ladies Day at a local congregation here in “town”. Hannah Colley Giselbach spoke on "Mean Girls to Godly Girls" and how we are not to be overcome with evil, but overcome evil with good, Romans 12:21. This service helped to edify, uplift and rejuvenate me spiritually because of how she applied biblical girls to how we are today. It was just what I needed…at the right time in my life! I also look for ways to serve others so my eyes and ears are open of how I can be used of service. I got a lead today for something to do on Wednesday, if everything works out I'll be happy to serve someone. I’m not always the best, but I strive to be a giving person and do unto others as I would like for them to do unto me, Matthew 7:12.
4. Watch and read spiritually focused materials. The Bible mini-series on “The History Channel”—I love…I’ve been watching this on TV and it has helped bring the bible to life in motion picture like never before for me! The real bible is the inspired word of God, but this mini-series is the Hollywood take on “The Bible”. Yes, I know some things aren’t 100% accurate in the mini-series, but it’s a pretty good account of the big “highlights” in the Bible with a few mini changes. I get a magazine bi-monthly called “Christian Woman” and usually whenever it arrives I read it cover to cover…great spiritual food for the hungry. I’ve added several blogs to my rss reading list that are spiritually focused. Plus, I have been trying to read other spiritually focused books this year, check out this link to see what I’ve been reading.

 

 

So this is how I’ve been digging deeper this year. I’ve been juggling this with all my other obligations, but I feel that these simple additions to my daily routine have been wonderful! These additions have been keeping me focused on the ultimate prize…getting to heaven one day which would be the ultimate true success in life.

What spiritual focus have you set your eyes onto this year? How is your progress coming along?

The reality of what people mean by saying "they’re not worth it".

Recently at bible study the topic of forgiveness was discussed and it made me think about what people have been telling me my whole life especially in the last month. People have been telling me “they’re not worth it” or “he’s not worth your time thinking about, so move on”. Sometimes people hurt us. It might be a friend, a relative, or a significant other. Maybe you have said this to someone before or even thought it before.  

Whenever friends try to say the comforting words of “they’re not worth it” or “he’s not worth your time…” to me this stings for a couple of reasons. One is the reality of moving forward and showing them grace & forgiveness and two is they don’t know & understand how I feel right now. What I think that people really want to tell me but don’t want to come right out and say is that when people hurt you— you should just move on and stop thinking about the “what ifs” and the past because you can’t change it now.

But what I really want them to say is…I understand you’re hurting. People are imperfect and don’t always know what they want, occasionally people make mistakes, and other times people do what is best at that moment because they are uncertain. Don’t try to relive the past and dwell in the “what ifs”. Thank God for His love and pray for the one who hurt you and forgive them. Eventually the hurt will disappear when you forgive them. Whatever happened is in the past is the past. Your value and self worth are not based on that person. Your time should not be spent thinking about it. Spend your time forgiving him.

In reality aren’t people who hurt us worth our time thinking about? God is superior and in His timing everything will be made alright. So I am trying to remember that friend/relative/guy is worth loving…he is worth forgiving…he is worth praying for…and he is worth my time. Like I’ve said before, “You is kind, you is smart, you is important” and forgiveness is one of the steps to mending the rough spots along your road so you can begin moving forward with life and feel kind, smart and important again. For me forgiveness brings peace and "life is good" again. And yes, I'm there now hence the post.  

Goals, Plans, Dreams & Wishes...Oh My!

Today at my in-service I learned the following things

 

This got me to thinking tonight...My goal is to get to heaven someday. Yes, it would be nice to have someone to share that goal with that would help me achieve it and be an encouragement along the way. I am content with waiting and being on reserve until I find the right person who deserves my heart and vice versa. I know that I am worthy and deserve so much that I am unwilling to settle for just anyone or anything in life. Some people call this picky, but I feel that my selectiveness if a very valid. Within our society today, the world views relationships and marriage & divorce as disposable and replaceable objects like diapers. Why did I choose the metaphor of a diaper…because whenever they get smelly, stinky or too full they are thrown out and a new one is in place almost within minutes. What happened to cloth diapers that were washed and cleaned daily & took skill to whiten and keep bright from those pesky stains? 

Being a single Christian allows one to have a deeper relationship with God and serve him more fully according to 1 Corinthians 7. God has a plan for everyone. God has a plan for some to marry and for others he wants them to have contentment in singleness. I know God has a plan for my life and my goal is to fulfill his purpose within my life. Like I have said throughout my blog I am unsure what my future holds and what God’s plan for me is, but then again who is 100% certain? I am looking for God to help fill in those gaps because I know that within due time…when God thinks that I am ready…I am sure that His plan will be revealed to me within His timing. God has a plan and I cannot wait to see the “Providence” in the upcoming years to see how everything ties together.

My prayer is that God helps me be content regardless of whatever else does or does not happen in my life. I also pray for patience and peace as His plan is revealed within my life. “I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:11-13.   

So, I’m on this journey through life growing in my trust of the Lord and believing that He has a plan for me so that I can reach my goal. My short-term goal currently is to move forward with a positive attitude, confident and content while practicing peace, obedience, and patience.        

 

My thoughts on "Muscle and a Shovel" by Michael Shank

The congregation where I attend church collectively over the past few months has been reading the book “Muscle and a Shovel” by Michael Shank. I started the book with everyone else, but like my blog talks about…life…yes it happened to me...and I put other activities and books ahead of “Muscle and a Shovel”. I let procrastination get the best of me but I finally was determined to conquer the book today before our big “Muscle and a Shovel” Sunday at church! I was on a mission to read or else I was going to stay up all night to get it done. I spent a few hours this afternoon and a few hours after dinner getting this accomplished. This awesome book is a true story about the author and how God used his co-worker to lead him to think deeply about his believes and question everything that he knew about religion. Within the book, the author tells his compelling story of how he comes to understand the truth through reading his Bible and how he and his wife became Christians through digging deep into studying the word.

I am hoping that within my life I can be more like the co-worker in the book! Sometimes we get scared when it comes to religion and then just do not say anything at all to others. This book logically outlines the church of the New Testament and what individuals must do to become part of the body of Christ. The book shows us how scriptures within the bible can be used to change lives forever by simply starting the conversation with a few questions and following it up with your beliefs backed by scriptures. An underling theme in the story for those who are already Christians like me is to dig deeper and really understand the full message of the Bible so that you can answer questions about your faith whenever asked.

The author points out that reading the bible is not for the lazy and weak because it takes a muscle and a shovel to really understand the message.  I love how the author explains the importance of a muscle and a shovel are: “Mental” muscle and a willingness to use “honest intelligence” (the metaphorical shovel) to dig deep beyond all of our preconceived ideas, our false beliefs, and our comfortable traditions. Studying the Bible takes muscle and a shovel. (p. 190-191). I know within the last year I have been trying hard to dig deeper and study the scriptures more myself, so I leave you with the same challenge and the challenge the author gave…study. Do not believe what others have always taught you or what you have always heard…study. Actually, open the Bible and dig deeper and investigate it for yourself.  

Shank, M. (2011). Muscle and a Shovel. Lightning Source Press.

http://michaelshankministries.com/

Southern Chocolate Cream Pie Tutorial

No southern girl should be without this easy standby recipe in her kitchen. My mother passed it down to me and I thought I should pass it down to you! Tomorrow at church we are having a fellowship meal after services and I thought “Why not a “Chocolate Cream Pie?”...thanks to a friend yesterday I was reminded about chocolate pie and I could not get my mind off of it! So this afternoon I got busy in the kitchen preparing for tomorrow and this is the result. Too bad that you cannot smell or taste this yummy dessert right now because it is heavenly! You can click here for the recipe without photos.  

 

Southern Chocolate Cream Pie

2 cups milk

3 eggs, divided

1 ¾ cup sugar, divided

6 tablespoons flour

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

2 teaspoons vanilla, divided

 

1 tablespoon butter

1 9 inch deep-dish pie shell

1 teaspoon cream of tarter

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prebaking a piecrust is also known as “blind baking” and you will need to do this to your crust, so prepare the deep-dish pie shell by using fork to lightly prick the bottom of the pastry.

 

 Bake the frozen deep-dish pie shell until golden brown in your 350 degree oven.

Separate eggs. Don't know what this means...to "separate" means to take two bowls and gently crack egg to separate the egg whites into one bowl and the egg yolks into another bowl.  

Stir together 1 ¼ cups sugar, flour, and cocoa powder in a heavy saucepan.

Blend in milk and egg yolks.

Cook until thick. Stir constantly.

Remove from heat. Add vanilla and butter. Mix well.

 

Pour into pie shell.

 

Combine egg whites and cream of tartar in mixing bowl.

Beat egg whites. Gradually add ½ cup sugar.

 

Beat until egg whites are stiff. Add 1 teaspoon of vanilla. Beat well.

 

Pile meringue on top of pie.

Bake at 350 degrees F until golden brown. Enjoy!     

On a side note, fellowshipping together and enjoying hospitality can include food just like my pie above, which is the gift of sinfully good nourishment. Eating together fills our bodies with not only good food but also friendships. A mealtime is a perfect time to share with others and show service. The bible teaches us that one of the greatest gifts to give people is our time and we share our time through fellowshipping and bestowing hospitality. “One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, ‘Of all the commandments, which is the most important?’ ‘The most important one,’ answered Jesus, ‘is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.’” Mark 12:28-31. In Galatians 6:10 we are told to fellowship with fellow Christians, “So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith”.

Let me know if you try this recipe at home. I want to know how it turns out. I promise it is not as hard as it may seem!

Happy fellowshipping!

Domestic Diva + Busy Girl = Priorities

Like many others, I lead a busy life. It is a juggling act for me at times. I am trying to find the perfect balance of work life, a social life, and the domestic life all while trying to stay sound mentally, physically, spiritually, and socially. It is a balancing act to say the least sometimes but I think I make it fine with only really getting frazzled sometimes. I am thankful God made inventors of appliances and sent others into my life to teach me how to use them.   

One of the most important appliances in my kitchen (besides my coffee pot) is my slow cooker. This appliance helps me be a domestic diva from time-to-time. This morning it got pulled out of the cabinet and dusted off in order to be put to good use to serve a family at church that is grieving from a recent loss. I knew that with everything going on with my work schedule today that would be the best option for this busy girl. I was thinking simple, easy, and comfort food and what better appliance to help me accomplish all that than the slow cooker! Click here to check out what I made and to get the recipe. Now if only I had a recipe for helping me be a better domestic housekeeper this week! As I look around my house after a busy week…I’m glad the weekend here! My house needs a domestic diva to spend a little quality time cleaning and preparing for the week ahead. This busy girl will have to utilize other appliances within the house this weekend like the vacuum cleaner, the steam mop, the washer and dryer, and the old-fashioned dishwasher (washcloths & towels) to dust and wipe away the week’s messes. LOL. It seems that things have been let go around the house and everything have gotten quite untidy.        

Hebrews 12:1-3 tells us that we should put our sight on the Lord. “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”  

As Christian women, we need think beyond useful household appliances, our crazy calendars and day-to-day schedules and think about priorities within our life. If we lead a life focused on the Lord then he will help us balance it all in stride. Jesus should be the example we look to since he understands what we are going through. 1 Peter 2:21 says, “To this you were called, because Christ suffered you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps”. My priorities are God, Family, Work, Service and Health. What are your priorities?

A Woman's Voice

 

Today I had the pleasure of eating lunch with three strong, wise, driven, independent, and beauty women. Each one of these women are special in their own way and each one is talented and unique. Together we make quite a team and can accomplish much. From time to time we meet for lunch to discuss non-work things and to empower each other to keep going. I wish I could bottle the energy from the group and sell it, because I think we could get rich!

I’m a young woman and I enjoy being around mature women who have experienced life so to speak. Titus 2:3-5 tells us that it’s older women who can teach younger women the practical skills to get through life. These women got me to thinking about myself and my future today when we had lunch. If I ever get the opportunity to have children in the future I want my future daughter(s) to have a few character qualities and opportunties that I believe that mold strong women. 

• I want them to know and practice the fruits of the spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).
• I want my future daughters to have a voice.
• I want them to grow up to be strong, free thinking and independent women that are not get taken advantage of.
• I want them to have opportunities outside of life within the “normal” realm of their community of where they might be raised.
• I want them to have rules, discipline and consequences within their life.  
• I want them to have an advanced education and value lifelong learning.
• I want them to use their God given talents to serve God and others to the best of their abilities.
• Leave a comment if you can think of others! I might need to add a few more to my wish list for those future daughters.  

Doesn’t every woman want that for her daughter(s)? This is how my family raised me to be. Sometimes I get “the look” or “the comment” that I cannot believe you do that or I would never. I was raised to have a “voice” or “vote” per say when it came to matters. I was raised to think outside the box. I was told that my voice matters because I was good, special and important. I was raised to have an inquisitive mind, to ask questions and “why” if something did not make sense. I learned the value of a work, earning money to have things, and then how to give back to others through service.

I believe my parents did things with intention when they were parenting me and my sister. But I’ve never asked…who knows they might have been parenting us by the skin of the teeth and whatever patience they had at the moment! I believe they both had great examples of strong women within their lives that they modeled their parenting practices after. Whatever they did I believe it worked because I believe that I was molded and shaped into the woman I am today because of their parenting foresight and the experiences they shared with my sister and me. So Mama & Daddy thank you for giving me a voice and molding me into the woman I am today!    

 

Breakfast 101

Well this morning my electricity was off when I woke up so I let a local restaurant prepare my coffee and breakfast this morning. I have not ate breakfast out in quite some time so I was a little shocked whenever I had to fork over $4.89 for a semi healthy breakfast at McDonald's and it did not even taste all that great! I have chosen not to eat breakfast out for two reasons.

My health. I realized I was eating out way to much last year and when I decided to get on my new "get Lara healthier campaign" I cut breakfast out of my plan. (Keep in mind I still eat out my fair share at other meal times!) I want to be healthier and also “practice what I preach to others” so to speak.

I feel that part of being a family and consumer science county agent’s duty is to encourage others to make healthy lifestyle choices for themselves and their families. I want to be a living breathing example to the people I serve in Monroe County. I feel that others will value my advice and information if they know I have tried it myself and have been in their shoes before.

Trust me making this new lifestyle change was not easy! These restaurants make it look so convenient, easy, and tasty with their big flashy advertisements. Pulling through a drive thru is so much easier than having to get up earlier and prepare a quick bite to eat at home…or so I thought before. It does not take long to brew my own coffee at home and grab my yogurt and fruit out of the fridge or prepare a quick bowl of cereal & milk or oatmeal. In the same amount of time in the line at drive thru window I can have my breakfast prepared at home and enjoy it while I’m watching the news!  

Cost. $4.89 here and $4.89 there adds up over time. I save around $150.00 each month on my "eating out" spending plan by eating my breakfast at home. What I prepare myself at home cost pennies compared to the $4.89 breakfast I had this morning! Plus what I prepare at home fits into my new healthy eating routine.

I can count on my had the number of times that I have had a biscuit within the last fifteen months and the majority of time those biscuits were homemade because I could not resist my mother’s home cooking around the holidays or a special occasion! It has been a while since I ate out of the morning so I was a little in sticker shock whenever I had to fork almost $5.00 for breakfast. Oh well...life...right??? Everything cost money and everyone wants to try to make a buck or two when they can.  

So let’s compare my usual breakfast versus the breakfast I had this morning.

 

$1.00 to $1.50 depending on the "season" for my fruit & what exactly I have to eat.

$4.89 on 3/12/2013 in Tompkinsville, KY. Even if I had of ate a yogurt parfait and coffee from the same restaurant I still would have had to pay over $2.50 for my breakfast. I guess I  splurged a little this morning in more than one way!

 

This is something for you to think about tomorrow morning whenever you are hungry and thinking about food. Which option will you choose...the drive thru or an "at-home special"?   

The Game of Life

Since I am in a healing process of sorts and trying to stay positive about life and not do something irrational and negative that I would regret later I have decided to open up more and reflect some on my blog. I am human and have thoughts that need to be expressed, so friends do not call me crazy...call me a work in progress...trying to heal. Blogging is the easy part, facing the new reality and not doing something irrational and negative is proving to be hard.

But on a serious note, as humans, we have grown accustomed to having everything readily available at a moment’s notice. We have been raised by our parents and today’s society to have instant access to almost anything and everything we possibly could ever want with almost no questions asked. Within our instant society also comes the idea that we can have the “best of both worlds”. But really can we have it all…?

• Enjoy cake and ice cream every day without feeling guilty and having the possibility of gaining a few extra pounds
• Have a great body without having to work out and put forth effort to maintain it
• Have a great life and not have to face the reality of situations that might hinder us from achieving what we want
• Call or text to stay connected & show you care…all just because you want someone to feel better after you break the connection…maybe after a period of time & healing…
• Get up early & get work done and to stay up late & have fun with your friends 365 days of the year
• Have a cool fast car with all the luxuries and great fuel efficiency within ones spending plan
• Have a high salary and time off from work whenever we want it
• Enjoy independence & freedom yet have a deep connection with a member of the opposite sex while maintaining the status quo of everything just like it was before 
• You name it…???
• Last but not least…Be a Christian (Sunday-Thursday) and be the cool friend “of the World” (Friday & Saturday)

Seriously, it does not work that way! Usually we cannot have the “best of both worlds” in the game of life even though we would love it! Having the “best of both worlds” is in the ideal Barbie World of fantasyland! We have to be willing to make concessions, compromises, and set priorities within our life with what really matters. The world views my fellow generation (the Millennials also known as Generation Y) as the entitled generation, because we want it all…the perfect balance of work life and personal life, the ability to make our own rules and multi-task our way through everything and anything.  You are in my generation if you were born between 1977 and early 2000s, so let us own up to a few things and be realistic with ourselves if you are in my generation or can relate to what I am talking about. OK? Satisfaction with life is important and our attitude has a lot to do with it, so let us have some realistic expectations. Here are a few things to remember about life…

1. Consider others on your “team” in order to build relationships and help them feel more confident and supported. Do not build ones self-esteem up and then burst it in a moment’s notice whenever you feel like it…and do not play the “let it down easy game”. Be honest and truthful to your teammates. If you want them to have your back do not hit them in the back along the process.  
2. Understand that technology is not everything, generations before made it without the luxury of the Internet and text messaging. Make that phone call you have been putting off.
3. It is not necessarily greener on the other side! You are the one who is holding yourself back in life when you think you it is “greener on the other side” or that you can have the “best of both worlds” because that is not “reality”. Life happens. Situations come and go. Nothing can be perfect. Life is not perfect. If you wait for that 100% perfect moment or the 1 spark to top off all others you have already felt, then you might just miss something great and wonderful.
4. You cannot always have a Win Win 100% of the time unless both parties of the team are willing to put forth the effort to make it work. Just like with prayers, you will not always get a “yes” because sometimes you can also receive a “no” from God or a “not right now” as an answer.  
5. Figure out what is best for you and go with it, but please take time to look around and take inventory of those things around you that have made an impact within your life. Consider others. Take action on things, or they might slip away from you before you realize it.
6. It takes effort to build and protect healthy relationships, so realize what your priorities are and own up to them.  
7. You have control over yourself only, so focus on what you can change and do not waste too much energy trying to force others to change. People have to want change for it to happen.
8. It is never too late to say “I am sorry”, “I was wrong”, or “please forgive me”.   

These are just a few of my reflections & what I have learned while living and working within my normal everyday life. They can be applied to almost any given situation. Once again I am no expert and do not profess to know it all or have all the answers. I have made my own fair share of mistakes! I have a degree from the school of hard knocks, trials and tribulations, and life.

We are all weak from time to time, but we need to keep in mind that we are not perfect and that we each need the Lord in order to grow as Christians. It is OK to ask for forgiveness and help when you need it. We only have one life to live, so it is our job to live our life to the fullest potential that God gave us and if we fail at the game of life it is because we simply do not want it bad enough.