Category: Food and Nutrition

Posted on in Finding Grace Weekly Recap, Food and Nutrition, Little Free Library, Miscellaneous

Finding Grace #275

You may have seen the acronym GRACE as God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense. Grace is also God’s unmerited favor, or God doing for us what we cannot.

I find grace overflowing with God’s love, joy, peace, blessings, mercy, power, provision, protection, and wisdom. Thank You, Jesus!

Where did I find God’s love and favor—His abundant grace—this week?!

This was a great week filled with God’s grace! We had fun with my mother-in-law, who visited last weekend. It is fun to try new restaurants and other places when she comes.

My mother-in-law surprised us with an old camera for Lydia. It even had a couple of pictures of Dave on it with Lydia as a baby. I had wanted to buy her one, but didn’t know where to start. I also didn’t want to spend much money, in case Lydia breaks it. But now, she can have fun and experiment with less pressure!

Lydia had fun at the Y and passed the summer swim test! This lets her go in the deeper water and on the slides versus just staying in the more shallow end. She had fun and was proud of herself, too!

The weather was hot, but not too humid, most of the week. So still very comfortable. One night, there was a thunderstorm, and then it cooled down a bit. It’s been perfect the last few days. I’ve enjoyed bird watching, reading outside with a cup of coffee, and even mowing. I didn’t mow all of the crispy parts, but just the really high areas!

I have been receiving several books, of good quality and variety, in my little free library lately. I’m grateful for the community support to encourage everyone to read. Thank you!

Today, Lydia and I made banana-chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast, and then we ran some fun errands in the afternoon. She bought herself a cute little backpack at the mall. I also talked with my sister on the phone. It’s always good to catch up!

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These are only a few examples, but God’s grace never runs out!

There’s grace in every situation—we just need to look for it. God promises if we seek Him, we will find Him (see Jeremiah 29:13)!

Posted on in Finding Grace Weekly Recap, Food and Nutrition, Gratitude, Miscellaneous, Parenting

Finding Grace #272

You may have seen the acronym GRACE as God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense. Grace is also God’s unmerited favor, or God doing for us what we cannot.

I find grace overflowing with God’s love, joy, peace, blessings, mercy, power, provision, protection, and wisdom. Thank You, Jesus!

Where did I find God’s love and favor—His abundant grace—this week?

This was another full week, but I saw God at work all around me!

I participated in my first VA2K, which involves a 2,000 meter short walk and food drive for Veterans. VA employees (and others) donate food and resources for those Veterans who are food insecure and/or homeless in our community. It was a beautiful day, and we dietitians organized about sixty individual bags of food to be given away, as needed. Lydia really enjoyed going through our cupboards for items to donate!

Lydia finished up her swimming lessons on Thursday. It was a big time commitment the last few weeks, but I am glad she had fun. She had a huge smile the entire time in the pool.

Recently, I was asked to consider being a mentor for small groups at my church. Once I learned more about it on Friday afternoon, it felt like a perfect match. It will be a small commitment in the fall, but I am looking forward to it.

Yesterday was Lydia’s half-birthday. We celebrated by sharing some ice cream, getting our hair trimmed, and picking up her new glasses. Yes, she is near-sighted! Thankfully, she is very excited and confident. Several of her friends have glasses, so she’s looking forward to wearing them to school on Monday! Here’s hoping she doesn’t break them right away!

The weather was warm-to-hot this week, so I put off mowing until it was cooler today. It felt good to tackle the “jungle” that was my lawn! Being outside also means opportunities to catch up with my neighbors. I also saw some tree swallows, which is always a treat!

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These are only a few examples, but God’s grace never runs out!

There’s grace in every situation—we just need to look for it. God promises if we seek Him, we will find Him (see Jeremiah 29:13)!

Posted on in Food and Nutrition, Gratitude, Miscellaneous, Perseverance, Wisdom

Beets for Breakfast

Oatmeal, bagels, muffins, toast, cereal, fruit, eggs, etc…. Usually, I keep my breakfast simple and straightforward. I’ll eat just about anything, but I don’t try anything fancy Monday through Friday due to time constraints.

So, the other day, I was throwing together my breakfast in a rush. My usual options just didn’t sound appealing, or in a couple of cases, I had run out of those items. So, I grabbed whatever I had on hand.

That day, I ate beets for breakfast, as well as some other veggies, and egg, and some cooked whole grains (barley and millet, that day) all tossed together!! Everything but the egg was leftover from other meals. I added the egg for some protein on a whim, but I don’t usually use the stove in the morning. 

And hey!! It was surprisingly delicious!! Beets are one of my favorite vegetables, along with peppers, onions, tomatoes, cabbage, etc. While I don’t normally think of them as breakfast food, that day, they were perfect. Plus, the boost of creativity made me happy as I left for work. 

Guess what? My lunches for work are often like my breakfast. A little bit of everything thrown in one container. My coworkers always ask what I brought, and I show them all my leftovers! Yes, cooking for two means eating the same thing for a few days!

Professionally, I ask people every day about their lifestyle habits and their relationship with food. People tell me all sorts of interesting details! Then, I help them make small changes that add up and help meet their goals. I love being a dietitian!

Lately, at work, I’ve had several patients tell me of their favorite food combinations. One person loves dipping saltine crackers into coffee, while another enjoys potato chips and ice cream, too! Sweet and salty, perhaps?!

There’s no real right or wrong way to eat breakfast or lunch… or even dinner. Sure, I’d recommend a healthy mix of protein, carbohydrates, and even some non-starchy vegetables, less sweets and fast food. But ultimately, it’s important to just eat something. 

Regardless of what you eat for breakfast (or if you eat first thing!), I see a parallel for how God meets our needs. Sometimes, the solution is straightforward and sometimes it’s a little more creative (or crazy?!). But, it always is just what we need, when we need it.

We can look to Jesus as an example. He came as an ordinary baby, died as a criminal (though innocent), rose as a Victorious King, and then prepared breakfast for His disciples.

Surely, He knows what He is doing. We can trust His timing and provision!

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God, with You nothing is random or an afterthought. What may feel like chaos to us is just an opportunity to trust You more. Help us see You in each part of our day. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Questions: Do you like beets? What are your favorite breakfast foods? Do you keep it simple or do you go wild? How can you trust God more today?

Tasks: Let go of preconceived ideas for what your day should go like. Let God surprise you!

Posted on in Finding Grace Weekly Recap, Food and Nutrition, Gratitude, Journey of Grace, Miscellaneous, Perseverance

Finding Grace #266

You may have seen the acronym GRACE as God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense. Grace is also God’s unmerited favor, or God doing for us what we cannot.

I find grace overflowing with God’s love, joy, peace, blessings, mercy, power, provision, protection, and wisdom. Thank You, Jesus!

Where did I find God’s love and favor—His abundant grace—this week?

This was a productive week! I enjoyed a slightly slower pace at work filled with a few meetings, good conversations, yummy treats, and a fair amount of laughter. My coworkers and I were learning how to use a new tube feeding pump so we can educate our patients. It reminded me of the classic joke… how many (dietitians) does it take to change a light bulb?!

Lydia’s school was doing some state testing this week. She forgot her iPad at home because she was charging. I wasn’t able to bring it since I was already all the way across town at work. Thankfully, she borrowed one from the school library.

On Thursday evening, Lydia and I went out to eat with coworkers to bid farewell to our dietetic intern! She has been with us since January, and we all appreciated having her. She helped us with our work and was quick to learn everything we threw at her!

While at dinner on Thursday, I got to hold a coworker’s sweet four-month-old baby girl. She was so cute and alert! This baby was born the same month as Lydia so there are many similarities in the timing of her growth and development. As such, it meant a lot to me that I got to hold the baby, specifically because Lydia was the same size and age in April right before Dave got sick in May. Whenever I see a baby that age, I think about those few weeks and consider them a sweet spot before all Hell broke loose.

I went to the college campus on Friday to teach my class. It was on renal disease, which is kind of a complex topic. But, I did my best and felt good about it overall. In addition to covering the material, at least on a basic level, my goal is to give my students practical guidance to set them up for success. I also enjoyed catching up with some of the staff, too!

This week, the weather was windy and rainy at times. But, we need the rain and I was thankful it wasn’t snowing! Then again, it was absolutely gorgeous today, and I enjoyed hearing the song birds and seeing some crocuses popping up!

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These are only a few examples, but God’s grace never runs out!

There’s grace in every situation—we just need to look for it. God promises if we seek Him, we will find Him (see Jeremiah 29:13)!

Posted on in Finding Grace Weekly Recap, Food and Nutrition, Gratitude, Life is Short, Miscellaneous

Finding Grace #257

You may have seen the acronym GRACE as God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense. Grace is also God’s unmerited favor, or God doing for us what we cannot.

I find grace overflowing with God’s love, joy, peace, blessings, mercy, power, provision, protection, and wisdom. Thank You, Jesus!

Where did I find God’s love and favor—His abundant grace—this week?

This week was bittersweet. On Sunday, my cousin’s twelve-year-old son was killed in a tragic snowmobile accident. Death and grief are difficult under any circumstances, but the loss of a child are unimaginable. Thanks for keeping my family in prayer.

Work went well at the VA and I worked all five days, as opposed to my usual four days. I recently had additional hours permanently approved, so that started this week. I am grateful for God’s provision, and I am happy to go in on Fridays for a part-day now. 

I did not go to Concordia this week, due to some other college scheduling. But, I still worked on some upcoming lessons, graded assignments, and answered emails, etc. It was strange not to be on campus, though!

Today, Lydia and I relaxed somewhat amid all our Saturday chores. I roasted a variety of vegetables and made a mushroom stroganoff that was so delicious! I also made a simple onion bagel with veggie cream cheese, cucumbers, and seasoning. It was a good day to stay inside, and I love being creative in the kitchen!

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These are only a few examples, but God’s grace never runs out!

There’s grace in every situation—we just need to look for it. God promises if we seek Him, we will find Him (see Jeremiah 29:13)!

Posted on in Finding Grace Weekly Recap, Food and Nutrition, Gratitude, Life is Short, Miscellaneous

Finding Grace #256

You may have seen the acronym GRACE as God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense. Grace is also God’s unmerited favor, or God doing for us what we cannot.

I find grace overflowing with God’s love, joy, peace, blessings, mercy, power, provision, protection, and wisdom. Thank You, Jesus!

Where did I find God’s love and favor—His abundant grace—this week?

This was a busy but exciting week! All the usual things went…well, as usual. I enjoyed Zoom on Sunday and work on the other days! 🙂 Lydia also went to school in-person all five days, which was a first for her school year! She had a great week, too!

I got my second COVID vaccine shot on Monday. This time, my arm was far less sore, but I was a little more achy than last time. Perhaps this was because my muscles were already sore and recovering from shoveling and snow blowing the weekend before! Thankfully, after a day or two, I felt much better. I am grateful to have received both shots!

This week, I saw God redirecting my steps. I am thankful He knows better than I do! He had me work ahead on my Wednesday blog post, which is good because on Tuesday evening, I was able to go to bed earlier and rest (see above paragraph!).

On Wednesday evening, Lydia’s friend came over again. We had a brief Bible lesson about Ruth and Naomi (loyal love) and then we had fun with spin art. We had three colors of paint and did lots of experimenting! It was fun to see what we created together!

Today, Lydia and I did several art projects together. Well, we started them, at least! She received an arts & crafts subscription for her birthday, but we just now are getting to the projects. Some of them required multiple steps which will take a little longer. But, it was fun to spend a lot of time together.

In terms of self-care this week, I went to bed earlier a couple of nights. I also did a little exercise and finished a small, intricate puzzle (pictured above). It was cut out of wood and has all sorts of unique shapes. I enjoyed the little figures hidden throughout. I even found a duplicate piece that threw me off more than once! 😉 Then today, I listened to an audiobook while I chopped and baked loads of vegetables for the coming week! Rest feels good!

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These are only a few examples, but God’s grace never runs out!

There’s grace in every situation—we just need to look for it. God promises if we seek Him, we will find Him (see Jeremiah 29:13)!

Posted on in Finding Grace Weekly Recap, Food and Nutrition, Fruit, Gratitude, Miscellaneous, Parenting

Finding Grace #252

You may have seen the acronym GRACE as God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense. Grace is also God’s unmerited favor, or God doing for us what we cannot.

I find grace overflowing with God’s love, joy, peace, blessings, mercy, power, provision, protection, and wisdom. Thank You, Jesus!

Where did I find God’s love and favor—His abundant grace—this week?

This was another short work week, followed by another long weekend! I took off New Year’s Eve to spend time with Lydia. We had a fun, relaxing day together. We played games,  had a dance party, ate appetizers, and stayed up until midnight. It was fun!

This week, I am grateful for neighborly help. On Wednesday, my neighbor and a friend came to help me start my snow blower! It was recently fixed, but I still was having trouble. So, they showed me a “trick” to ensure it starts more regularly. I must’ve done it in the past, but never realized it!

The last few weeks have been busy, of course, with work, holidays, and more. But, I am grateful for a little rest sprinkled in, too. It was just what I needed!

Teaching Lydia gratitude is important to me. So, this week we worked on several thank you notes for all our Christmas gifts. She did most of them on her own and didn’t stall too much. I think all the practice is paying off!

Today, Lydia and I did a little housework and ran some errands. Then, we made some black bean and corn salsa (Lydia’s favorite) and some cherry-peach crisp with a topping of  pureed rehydrated figs, oatmeal, cinnamon, and pecans! It was so good, and we didn’t even miss the sugar and butter!

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These are only a few examples, but God’s grace never runs out!

There’s grace in every situation—we just need to look for it. God promises if we seek Him, we will find Him (see Jeremiah 29:13)!

Posted on in Finding Grace Weekly Recap, Food and Nutrition, Gratitude, Journey of Grace, Miscellaneous, Worship

Finding Grace #251

You may have seen the acronym GRACE as God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense. Grace is also God’s unmerited favor, or God doing for us what we cannot.

I find grace overflowing with God’s love, joy, peace, blessings, mercy, power, provision, protection, and wisdom. Thank You, Jesus!

Where did I find God’s love and favor—His abundant grace—this week?

This week was frontloaded with work and other activities, in order to prepare for Christmas later in the week. Monday through Wednesday were full at work, but I was able to talk with many interesting Veterans. I love what I do!

On Monday, we watched the great conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter. It was very cool!

Lydia made some little bracelets for our neighbors this week. We took them over and enjoyed catching up. With coronavirus, we haven’t gotten to hang out as much. It was great to see them all, and hopefully, we will get to hang out again soon!

On Wednesday, there was a blizzard! Lydia and I still went to daycare and work. By God’s grace, we made it everywhere safely. When we got home that night, my car nearly got stuck in the driveway. Even though we had very little true snow fall, much of it landed in my driveway. I had to clear out the drifts before I could drive in. I was able to use a couple of new shovels and then my snow removal company did the rest.

This week, I reviewed a few more final details for my book. I ordered a proof copy and will see if I need to make any other changes. Then, it will be good to go!

For Christmas Eve, I was off from work. Lydia and I went to our church’s holiday service around 4 p.m. Then, we drove to a nearby town to celebrate with another family. We also took another friend with us. We each brought a dish to share and had fun playing games!

Christmas was spent talking with family, opening gifts, relaxing, and making cookies. It was fun celebrating Jesus!

Today, we did a little more relaxing and catching up with family. Then, we decorated some cookies and watched some movies! It has been a great Christmas break so far!

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These are only a few examples, but God’s grace never runs out!

There’s grace in every situation—we just need to look for it. God promises if we seek Him, we will find Him (see Jeremiah 29:13)!

Posted on in Food and Nutrition, Life is Short, Miscellaneous, Prayer, Wisdom, Worship

Don’t Just Settle for Snacks

Ahh, the holidays! A wonderful time of the year, full of snacks and treats! I have already received some delicious Christmas treats, both at my door and through the mail!

As a Registered Dietitian, I always recommend eating regular meals to my clients and patients. Yet, many people eat only one or two meals per day. Or, they eat in front of the television or while distracted. Then, they snack late into the night. Their whole day can be thrown off by poor habits and not eating well.

No judgment here… this happens to all of us from time to time. It is so common! As it is, many people need to rely snacks to reach their unique health goals.

Some people want to manage chronic diseases, like diabetes or kidney failure. Others want to lose weight or have more energy. Snacks can help some people achieve their goals. Even so, if they are not careful, too many snacks can hinder their progress!

If someone fills up on snacks all day, they may not be hungry for a meal. Or, if they do eat regular meals, too many snacks can still add up in calories.

Keeping a food journal could be helpful to track the trends, eating on real plates with real forks or spoons, or maybe just paying attention to natural hunger cues will help.

Some people mistake treats for snacks. I love treats, too, but the difference is snacks are ideally foods to fill in the nutritional gaps between meals. For instance, fresh vegetables and hummus, or yogurt with berries, or a few small pieces of cheese and crackers, or an apple with peanut butter.

Treats, on the other hand, are just that… treats. Not meant for every day, but rather a special occasion. Treats are “sometimes foods.” If one’s daily food intake allows for extra calories, perhaps they can squeeze in a couple of treats. Yum! But most of the time, we should be choosing snacks over treats.

If it’s your birthday, go for it! Celebrate your birthday. But, if your birthday happens five days a week, that’s becoming a habit. The things we do everyday have the most impact.

At the end of the day, it is important to have balance.

Spiritually, we can also load up on too many snacks instead of a meal. We can settle for little tidbits of Scripture or songs on the radio, without really chewing on God’s word. This is especially true when we are stressed or running around with too much activity.

Some days, I’m just as guilty as the next person. In our fast paced world, we need to be intentional with our time. Otherwise, we might miss Jesus altogether!

Let’s take time to ‘set the table,’ be still and focus on God. Then, and only then, will we have the strength to do all else that’s needed. But we can’t skip first things first. Jesus!

This season, take time to really feast on all of God’s goodness and grace. Read the Bible with a fresh perspective. Sit awhile with Jesus or take a walk with just Him.

Don’t settle for just snacks!

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Lord, may we hunger and thirst for Righteousness. You are the Giver of all good things. Everything we need is in You! Fill our lives with more of You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Questions: Do you like snacks in addition to your meals? What’s your favorite snack and/or holiday treat?

Tasks: Set aside fifteen minutes (to start) to read God’s Word each day. Lay aside your electronics and sit in peace. For the Christmas story, read Luke Chapter 2.

Posted on in Finding Grace Weekly Recap, Food and Nutrition, Life is Short, Miscellaneous

Finding Grace #233

You may have seen the acronym GRACE as God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense. Grace is also God’s unmerited favor, or God doing for us what we cannot.

I find grace overflowing with God’s love, joy, peace, blessings, mercy, power, provision, protection, and wisdom. Thank You, Jesus!

Where did I find God’s love and favor—His abundant grace—this week?

This was a great week! On Sunday, we enjoyed our usual church gathering, and I noticed some of the trees are already starting to change colors! I saw beautiful yellow leaves, but I’m not sure I’m ready for cooler weather… 🙂

On Monday, I attended orientation at the local college where I will be teaching a nutrition class! The semester starts this next week. It was good that I did because I learned a lot, met some great people, and got a little more acclimated to my department.

This week, I celebrated one year working at the VA! I can’t believe how fast this year flew. I have really enjoyed serving Veterans, and I love working with a wonderful team of dietitians and other staff! At the same time, I have been challenged and grown professionally, which positions me well to teach at the college this fall. #winning

This week, I made some exciting progress on a few projects. It can be challenging to keep everything straight, but my family was good to offer input on some key decisions. I also confirmed plans for Lydia’s fall school and daycare options. This included calls, emails, and paperwork. It was a big week, and I had to keep everything straight! It was a little complex, but, I am really thankful for God’s provision and direction.

Yesterday and Today, I have been hyper-focused on finishing up my syllabus! I mowed a couple days ago and postponed hanging out with a friend so I could keep my momentum. Earlier, Lydia helped me with some housework (teamwork makes it faster). Then, she after that, she spent much of her time playing with a friend. So, that has been helpful!

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These are only a few examples, but God’s grace never runs out!

There’s grace in every situation—we just need to look for it. God promises if we seek Him, we will find Him (see Jeremiah 29:13)!