Six word biography

Our Daily Bread
I thought the exercise of creating a six work biography (or autobiography) from today's devotional was pretty cool.  I came up with a couple for myself:

A crotchety old bear needing love

Loving caring man seeking God's will

Thinking of the six word bios for the Bible characters he listed, I thought might pick out my favorite Bible characters and create the six word bios for them.  Could be fun.

What would you write about yourself?  What would others write about you?  I hope the two match up some day for me!

Lord, thank you for this wonderful life.  Six words just aren't enough to describe it!

Witness Wednesday
If you have been reading, I have had a hard couple of weeks.  I think the cold/allergy thing the past week hit me the hardest.  I am still trying to overcome it.  Whew...  I am trying to keep up my normal routine of workouts and being an overall nice guy.  I am not doing so great.  I will take it easy on myself (for once).  Life is too good and too short to focus on these lesser things!

I will repeat something I told a friend and wrote about the other day:  God is so good!  How can I keep from singing!?!  The only thing that may slow down my singing is my darn cold/allergies!  ;-p

I hope you are truly feeling the peace that only God can give in your life, regardless of the circumstances that you face!

Other Stuff
I went home and took a short nap last night.  I finished cleaning up from my dinner group on Sunday.  I made some supper and watched the Bluray of Happy Feet 2.  I love the soundtrack!  Very cute.  I forgot how much I liked the last big song "Under Pressure".  I watched a few episodes of Sanctuary on my DVR, then called it a night.  I slept well (compared to the night before...).

I didn't make it up for my workout this morning.  I plan to go to the gym after work tonight if I feel like it.  I have D1 class at 7:00.

So what is next for me?  I will be patient.  I will trust in the Lord.  He is the Everlasting God.  Strength will rise for those who wait on the Lord!

Let go, my friends!  God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!

We will meet again...

Our Daily Bread
If you have ever read my Monday blog entry, you can tell that I like movies.  I mean I really like movies!  One of the recurring story lines in movies is where the bad guy says to the good guy "Ha, ha, ha!  We will meet again!" before he slips into the night!  Yikes!  We are talking sequel here!

Christians will have a sequel of our own -- being reunited with our loved ones who died before us!  I look at this as a good thing.  I miss my grandparents and my uncles and my friends who died during my lifetime.  I look forward to seeing them again!

Exactly how is this all supposed to work?  I have no clue.  The Bible sort of conflicts itself with how things work after we die.  All I know is that I trust God to make it all work!

Lord, thank you for the promise of a "sequel" after this life is over!

Teaching Tuesday
The D1 lesson this week is on the first half of Acts, chapters 1 - 15.  Our book says that Acts is split up into two logical parts -- the first part talks about the acts of the apostles (or the acts of the Holy Spirit) and the second half talks about the missionary journeys of Paul and company.

From the initial coming of the Holy Spirit to the church at Pentecost throughout the first fifteen chapters, the acts of the apostles through the power of the Holy Spirit were amazing!  People being healed.  Raising people from the dead.  The Holy Spirit transporting Philip away from the eunuch.  Thousands saved.  It is amazing stuff!  Read it and believe today!

Other Stuff
Whew...  I am still sick.  My cough got worse yesterday, so I went to the doctor.  There wasn't a lot he could do.  He gave me some meds and had me keep up my rest and nasal flushes.  The cough is better this morning.  I still feel weak.  I didn't make it out of bed for my 5:00 am workout.  I will try to take it easy today even though I still have some clean up to do from Sunday night.  Whew...

Let go, my friends!  God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!

The rocks will cry out...

Our Daily Bread
One of my favorite sayings in the Bible goes something like "if we don 't praise God, then the rocks will cry out!".  That gives me such a vivid image of how incredible our God is!  Even inanimate objects will find a voice to praise him!

For many of us, God uses nature to prove his existence.  It is both awe inspiring and overwhelming!  Such intricate details that the folks of our age may never understand!  A supreme being thought of all of this? There is NO WAY it just happened by itself!

If God speaks to you through nature, then be sure to take the time to spend with him outside.  Go to one of the many parks in Columbus or whatever city you reside.

Lord, thank you for giving us this wonderful world!

Movie Monday
Didn't see any movies this week. ;-(  I was very busy during the week, and then was sick over the weekend.  I bought Happy Feet 2 on Bluray this week.  I am looking forward to watching it again.  I love the soundtrack.

Other Stuff
How can I keep from singing?  I cannot!  I gotta keep up with the rocks!  ;-)  I thank God being with me in such a strong way the past few days.  I have not felt well at all.  I guess God used my "slowdown" to speak his comforting peace to me.  I felt his presence reassuring me that I am on the right track.  Things are moving along the way they are supposed to.  God is so good to me.  How can I do anything else but sing his praises?

I am feeling much better today.  Still a little groggy and coughy and snotty.  I will take some more meds after my workout and be on my way to work.  I will take it easy tonight.  I will finish my clean up from the dinner group last night and work on my D1 reading.

Dinner group went very well.  The chicken roulades turned out great.  They were a big hit.  I thought of an easier way to make the sauce after dinner.  Sauces appear to be my nemesis.  The one last night tasted great even though I had to add some corn starch to thicken it up.  Next time, I think I will saute come shallots, add a can of store bought chicken gravy, and then add some sherry vinegar.  That should work!  hehehe  I got most of the clean up done last night.

We also had some excitement.  A tornado warning sounded about the time folks were arriving at my house! It was only til 6:30, but there was a nasty storm rolling through northern Columbus!  I couldn't see the next door neighbors house at one point!  There was some heavy rain damage to my plants, but everything else looked OK.  No tornado.  We ended up in my messy basement for a while!

Let go, my friends!  God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!

Downward spiral...

Our Daily Bread
We see people around us and read about people in the news that have "fallen".  It is not a pretty thing to watch!  We hate it when we realize that our heroes our only human.  Sometimes is appears accidental.  Sometimes you can see it coming -- pride cometh before the fall!

The devotional talks about the fall of Saul, the first king of Israel.  He started out as a humble warrior from the smallest tribe in Israel.  After a few years of being named king, he started erecting monuments to himself!  He lifted up himself and left God out of the picture.  How often we do that in our own lives!  Oh wait, I guess that is just me!  ;-p

Lord, help us to always know our foundation of humble service and love for you.

Psalm Sunday
Psalm 40 is the psalm for this week.  Read it out loud.  Psalms should always be read out loud or sung!  ;-)  How much praise and comfort in the same passage!


Psalm 40

    For the director of music. Of David. A psalm.
 1 I waited patiently for the LORD;
   he turned to me and heard my cry.
2 He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
   out of the mud and mire;
he set my feet on a rock
   and gave me a firm place to stand.
3 He put a new song in my mouth,
   a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear the LORD
   and put their trust in him.

 4 Blessed is the one
   who trusts in the LORD,
who does not look to the proud,
   to those who turn aside to false gods.
5 Many, LORD my God,
   are the wonders you have done,
   the things you planned for us.
None can compare with you;
   were I to speak and tell of your deeds,
   they would be too many to declare.

 6 Sacrifice and offering you did not desire—
   but my ears you have opened —
   burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not require.
7 Then I said, “Here I am, I have come—
   it is written about me in the scroll.
8 I desire to do your will, my God;
   your law is within my heart.”

 9 I proclaim your saving acts in the great assembly;
   I do not seal my lips, LORD,
   as you know.
10 I do not hide your righteousness in my heart;
   I speak of your faithfulness and your saving help.
I do not conceal your love and your faithfulness
   from the great assembly.

 11 Do not withhold your mercy from me, LORD;
   may your love and faithfulness always protect me.
12 For troubles without number surround me;
   my sins have overtaken me, and I cannot see.
They are more than the hairs of my head,
   and my heart fails within me.
13 Be pleased to save me, LORD;
   come quickly, LORD, to help me.

 14 May all who want to take my life
   be put to shame and confusion;
may all who desire my ruin
   be turned back in disgrace.
15 May those who say to me, “Aha! Aha!”
   be appalled at their own shame.
16 But may all who seek you
   rejoice and be glad in you;
may those who long for your saving help always say,
   “The LORD is great!”

 17 But as for me, I am poor and needy;
   may the Lord think of me.
You are my help and my deliverer;
   you are my God, do not delay.


Other Stuff
Whew!  I feel a little better today, but I have a nasty cold.  I have been enjoying the warm weather too much.  My body is not.  Whew!  I got a lot done yesterday even thought I slept as much as I could.  I found a BUNCH of stuff on sale at Meijer.  Very cool.  The store on Polaris Parkway had everything I needed for my dinner tonight.  They also had my protein powder drink on sale.  Woohooo!  I also decided to buy something to wash my Escape with instead of going to the car wash.

I cleaned up around the portico area of my house and cleaned up the water hose issue in front as well.  I bought some lights for my track lighting.  I need to purchase two more to fill out the light pattern.  Very cool.  I also bought the trim guard I need to finish the trim painting.  I want to finish my art wall this week and clean up the basement before the social at my house on Friday.  I may have to put all of those plans on hold until I feel better.  ;-p

Been watching the NCAA tournament?  It has been exciting!  Go Bucks!  Sweet 16!  Woohooo!  My other two teams, Kentucky and Louisville, also won.

Time for a nap.  I will get up about noon or so to work on stuff for dinner.

And yes, except for the cold, I am fine with what happened Friday night.  It was odd not getting a phone call from mi tigre yesterday since we had talked every day for almost four months.  Like I told one friend, it wasn't as real as what I thought.  I am glad we figured things out before we got too emotionally or physically involved.

I told the same friend -- God is so good!  How can I keep from singing?  OH yeah, this COLD may slow me down!  Maybe not!  ;-)

Let go, my friends!  God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!

Weary indeed...

Our Daily Bread
It ALWAYS amazes me the timeliness of these devotions!  I keep telling friends that is the main reason I read this devotional instead of the one they read!  Oh well.  The one today hit me right between the eyes.

Actually, it comforted me.  Thinking of the comforting words that Isaiah told the people of Israel -- a Messiah is coming!  How comforting that must have been!  Things will get better!  Want to know an even more comforting thought?  Jesus, our Messiah, sent us a Comforter!  The Holy Spirit!  God is so good to us!

Lord, sometimes we only let you in when we are feeling weary.  Please help us feel your presence every day!

Simply Saturday
Talk about weary!  Oy, vey!  I had a difficult week.  Weird stuff at work.  Weird stuff at church.  Not feeling well.  Last night topped it all off.  It looks like mi tigre and I won't be talking any more.  Oh well.  While I really liked the man a lot, there were some odd things going on that I haven't written about.  To respect our privacy, I will leave it at that.  God is so good.  He will keep his promise of a relationship.  It doesn't appear to be mi tigre.  The important things are: I didn't get in over my head, I recognized some things early in the friendship that weren't right to me, and I am letting it go.

On the bright side, which is the side I prefer to walk on, I had some good things happen as well!  My workouts and weight loss are going well!  Woohooo!  I will keep it up.  I also received my new iPad yesterday.  I like it a lot!  I also scheduled two trips with my best friend.  That will be fun.

I am so blessed to have a life that is not ordinary.  Jesus said his words of comfort all week in so many different ways.  Praise God!

I worked on getting things ready for my dinner group last night.  I am going grocery shopping this morning.  I need to rest today.  I am not feeling that great.  Whew...

Please know that God is with you.  Look around.  Listen.  See God in your life.

Let go, my friends!  God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!

Planning ahead

Our Daily Bread
As I have mentioned in this blog several times, I am a planner.  I plan things.  I like to have goals and plans so I have direction and can accomplish things.  It is what I do!

The parable from today's devotional sounds at first reading that planning is not good.  I didn't like that!  hehehe The man had an abundant crop, so he planned ahead by building bigger store houses to store the surplus so he could live a comfortable life.  God demanded his life that night and his planning was for naught.  That is a planner's nightmare -- planning being for naught!

I finally started to understand from the devotional, and in my own life, that the planning part of the parable is not the root cause of the issue.  The man left God out of the equation.  I find sometimes that planning and being sensitive to God's leading can sometimes be in conflict.  That is frustrating for me at times.  What do I do?  I try to plan the things that I know God wants me to do like attending church, participating in a Bible study, singing in the choir, etc.  I can also plan to leave time open for God's leadership and listening to God.  That is a good thing!

Lord, help us making planning a way to serve you better, not shut you out!

Foodie Friday
I like eating quinoa since I discovered it a few weeks ago.  I enjoyed the quinoa breakfast recipe and ate it a few times this week.  I also made the quinoa bites.  Very tasty.  I mentioned to a friend at work about it and we talked about recipes.  I found this one for a very low fat chili made with quinoa.  You can make it in a crock pot or on the stove top.Enjoy!


Easy Healthy Vegetarian Recipe: Vegan Quinoa Chili

Our quinoa chili is so good, maybe you should double the recipe, or you'll be sad there isn't any leftover. If you're cooking for one, then this chili recipe might be enough.

Total Prep And Cook Time: 60 Minutes

6 Servings

Nutrition Data, 194g Serving: 227 cal, 39g carb, 4g fat, 183mg sodium, 8g fiber, 11 g protein, low Cholesterol, good source Vit C, Folate. Estimated Glycemic Load 17

Ingredients:

1/2 cup uncooked quinoa
3 cups water or bean cooking liquid
1 1/2 cup cooked kidney beans (1 can, drained and rinsed)
1 1/2 cup cooked black beans (1 can, drained and rinsed)
1 cup unsalted tomato sauce OR: 1/4 cup unsalted tomato paste + 3/4 cup water
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 celery stalk, diced
1 Tbsp (2 - 3 cloves) minced garlic
2 Tbsp minced jalapeño pepper
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
1/2 red bell pepper, diced

1 tsp cumin powder
2 tsp gr coriander
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp dried basil leaf
1/2 tsp dried thyme leaf
1/2 tsp dried marjoram leaf
1/8 - 1/4 tsp chipotle pepper powder
1 bay leaf
1 Tbsp light molasses
1 Tbsp Braggs Liquid Aminos, or soy sauce
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Fresh ground black pepper to taste
More Heat: Add more chile powder

Stovetop Directions:

1. Soak the quinoa 5 minutes
2. Rinse, then drain into a colander
3. If using canned beans, drain into a colander and rinse well
4. Peel & mince the garlic and jalapeño pepper
5. Dice the onion
6. Wash and trim the celery, slice lengthwise, then crosswise to dice
7. Seed and dice the red and green pepper
8. Heat the oil on medium-high in a dutch oven or large sauce pan
9. Fry the garlic, jalapeno, onion and celery until soft (about 5 minutes)
10. Add the peppers and fry 5 minutes
11. Add the spices and herbs, stir 2 minutes
12. Add the beans, water or bean liquid, molasses, tomato sauce, and quinoa
13. Bring to boil, cover, and simmer 20 minutes or until quinoa is cooked
14. Stir in Braggs or soy sauce, and pepper. Adjust seasonings
15. Serve garnished with cilantro

Optional: Add a dollop of dairy or non-dairy sour cream to each bowl

Crockpot Directions:

1. Sauté jalapeno, garlic, celery, and peppers in oil for 5 minutes on med-high
2. Add spices and herbs, stir 2 minutes
3. Combine with water, tomato sauce, salt, quinoa and beans in a 6 qt crockpot
4. Cover and cook on low for 5 - 6 hours
5. Add Braggs or soy sauce, molasses, pepper
6. Serve garnished with chopped clilantro and sour cream (optional)

Cooking Tips:

You can use any combination of beans you like in quinoa chili, although we thought it was perfect with a mixture of kidney beans and black beans. One or the other would be good too.

We used canned tomato sauce, but tomato paste and-or fresh tomatoes would also work. We like the Amore brand that comes in a tube - we got tired of throwing out almost-full cans of tomato paste.

This chili recipe only takes about 1/2 hour to cook on the stove, or 5 - 6 hours in a crockpot or slow cooker. If you need to be away longer, a digital timer is handy & inexpensive. Then your chili can be ready to eat when you are.

Serve with fresh cilantro as garnish. Add a dollop of dairy or non-dairy sour cream if you like.


Other Stuff
I ran a few errands last night and then went to my walking buddy's house for supper.  She needed some help with her computer.  I did a few things on it to help speed it up.  I think she is comparing it to her new laptop that is much faster.  She also has much faster access to the Internet at work.  Oh well.

Choir practice was OK.  I was feeling well last night and was in a bad mood.  Whew....

I heard from the Groupon gym contact.  I plan to attend a workout class tomorrow.

I am redeeming another Groupon today as The Ohio Door Guys will service my garage door this evening.

AND, there is that little thing about my new iPad arriving today!  Woohooo!  ;-)

I also got to talk to mi tigre for a few minutes yesterday.  We were both busy most of the day.

Let go, my friends!  God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!

Sweeter than homey

Our Daily Bread
I forgot that Psalm 119 is the longest book in the Bible!  I used to know all those little tidbits of trivia!  Oh well.

The verses for today's devotional are 97-104.  They talk about how God's Word is sweeter than honey in the psalmist's mouth!  What an amazing visual and play on the senses!  How can something you read be sweeter than honey?

In the little amount of Bible study I have done in my life (I am ashamed to say that I should have done much more study in my 52 years), I can understand a little bit.  Just a little.   There have been times in my life that scripture passages spoke to me in unbelievable ways.  They gave me comfort when I was down, encouragement to keep going when I was on a high, and every day reminders to keep believing in God's promises.  Wow!

Lord, thank you for your Word!  There is no sweetener substitute!

Technology Thursday
I have a few random pieces of technology stuff today.

My new iPad is on its way!  It will be delivered tomorrow!  Woohooo!  I bought the 64 gig ATT 4G LTE version.  I won't activate the ATT service right away.  ATT doesn't have LTE in Columbus yet.  I will probably activate it when I travel to St Louis and Kansas City.

ATT 4G LTE is in Ohio!  I don't really understand how ATT selects cities for its new technology rollouts.  The first two cities in Ohio to get LTE are Cleveland and Akron.  Akron?  Seriously?  What about the capitol city of Columbus?  ;-p  Soon, Duanebear, soon.

Lawsuits are still the game of choice for large technology companies.  I guess the lawyers have to make their money somehow.  I wish they would focus those resources on making better products.

The British company that makes the ARM computer chip had a breakthrough recently.  Their new chip uses much less power and has greater computing capabilities.  Very cool.  It is important because this kind of chip is used and can be used in everything from cell phones to refrigerators!

Other Stuff
I was very tired after work last night.  I rested in Goodale Park for a little while to enjoy the beautiful day.  I also had a nice conversation with mi tigre.  I ran some errands and got to church in time to relax a little more.  I didn't sleep well Tuesday night.  Whew...  D1 class was fine, though I just wasn't into it last night.  Oh well.  I had a long talk with my best friend after class.  We had stuff to catch up on.

I have choir practice tonight.  Not sure if I will come home after work or go to a movie or what.  I will figure that out.

Let go, my friends!  God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!