::this week::

praising:  several ministry opportunities for J this week... an answer to recent prayers.  Noah's behavior lately... he's still 2, but it has improved dramatically... such an answer to prayer!

praying:  still for an office for J and more provision for our ministry.

thankful for:  a date night to catch up with my love last weekend.  free babysitting for said date night.  gift cards to make said date night possible.  some great weather this week, and several chances to get outside and enjoy a nearby playground.  longer days, with the chance for evening family walks.  the gym/ "me time"... and the fact that our gym membership has been paid for for this entire year.

reading:  Esther, Psalms, Ezekiel, Dare to Discipline

cooking:   slow cooker Indian curry, brownies, huevos rancheros, BBQ and Thai chicken pizzas, salad with cilantro lime dressing, applesauce muffins, spinach artichoke pesto, pesto white bean dip

doing:  ladies Bible study. community group. dinner with Jeremy's parents.  lots of family time. Chick Fil A with some moms and kiddos.

pondering: 

the book of Ezekiel... a lot of the prophecies, visions, and imagery are completely "out there", and would probably be frowned on in most churches if such words/ imagery were used today.  getting a better understanding of how God communicates with Jeremy in many ways by reading about Ezekiel and his experiences... I think Ezekiel had a very similar relationship with God as to Jeremy.  in awe at how far fetched many of Ezekiel's prophecies would have seemed in his day, but at how they later came true.  I serve such a cool God, who is so creative in the ways that he communicates to His people and makes Himself known.

the word "Helper", as used in Genesis for Eve.... the negative connotations this term carries in our culture, but that this same word was used for God 19 times in Scripture... clearly showing that the term doesn't indicate a lesser/ subservient role for the woman.  meditating on my role as "helper" for J.

meditating on: who I am in Christ, and who He is in me... freedom I have over old patterns (negativity, gossip etc.), and the new creation I am in Him... guarding my heart and engaging in spiritual warfare against the lies of the enemy with these truths...

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud ⁵ or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. ⁶ It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. ⁷ Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.

Philippians 4:8 And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.

Pesto White Bean Dip

Pesto White Bean Dip

I used leftover Spinach Artichoke Pesto that I had on hand to make this dip, but any variety pesto would be great here.  Serve with pita chips and/ or cut veggies.

-1 clove garlic
-1 (15 oz) can white beans (I used cannelini beans), drained
-juice of 1/2 lemon
-1/2 tsp salt

Place garlic in food processor, and process until finely chopped.  Add remaining ingredients, and process until well mixed.  Chill until serving, and serve at room temperature.

Chicken Scallopine

Chicken Scallopine

This is my much healthier version of one of my favorite dishes I've ever eaten.  The original was swimming in butter, oil, and pancetta, and tasted great, but always left me feeling uncomfortably full.  Serve with a simple/ plain pasta, and a salad for a delicious meal.

-1/3 c flour
-1/2 tsp dried sage or Italian seasoning
-1/4 tsp salt
-1/8 tsp pepper
-4 chicken breasts
-1 Tbsp olive oil
-16 oz mushrooms, sliced
-2 cloves garlic, minced
-1 can quartered artichoke hearts, drained
-2 Tbsp capers
-1 Tbsp butter
-1/2 c white wine
-1/2 c chicken broth
-1/4 tsp salt
-1/4 tsp pepper
-2 Tbsp lemon juice

In a shallow pan, whisk together flour, sage, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/8 tsp pepper.  Pound chicken breasts flat with a mallet or frying pan.  Dredge the breasts in the flour mixture, reserve unused flour for a later use.  Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat.  Add chicken, cook 5 minutes per side, or until no longer pink.  Remove chicken from pan and set aside to keep warm.  Add butter and mushrooms to the skillet (still over medium heat).  Cook until the mushrooms begin to soften, about 5 minutes.  Add garlic, artichoke hearts, and capers.  Saute an additional minute.  In a bowl, whisk together wine, broth, remaining salt and pepper, and the reserved flour.  Pour wine/ flour mixture into the pan.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture thickens.  Stir in lemon juice.  Pour sauce and veggies over chicken breasts, garnish with parsley if desired, and serve immediately.

::this week::

praying:  for safe travel for Jeremy, Dave, and Jeff as they return from India.  that the things they experienced in India would become the new normal for their ministry here. 

praising:  the amazing things that occurred during the guys trip in India... lots of people healed and/ or delivered... lots of prophesies and visions... a major theme of unity bringing together the formerly "rival" Christians in that area.

reading:  Psalms, Nehemiah, Ezekiel, Dare to Discipline

thankful for:  that Jeremy comes back tomorrow!!!!  all the friends who prayed for, loved on, and encouraged me while Jeremy was away... the body of Christ is amazing!

cooking:  BBQ and buffalo chicken pizzas, chicken enchiladas, salad with cilantro lime dressing, refried beans, migas casserole, chai bars

 doing:  ladies Bible study.  lunch with a friend.  some play dates with friends.  community group.  dinner with a sweet couple.  not making many plans, hoping to enjoy some sweet downtime with our little family after J gets back on Tuesday.

pondering:  

Exodus 19:5-6  Now if you will obey me and keep my covenant, you will be my own special treasure from among all the peoples on earth; for all the earth belongs to me.  And you will be my kingdom of priests, my holy nation.’ This is the message you must give to the people of Israel.”

God's initial plan was for a "kingdom of priests"... He told them that up front, pre-Christ.  He didn't want one tribe interceding, He wanted them ALL. 

BUT THEN

Exodus 20:18-19 When the people heard the thunder and the loud blast of the ram’s horn, and when they saw the flashes of lightning and the smoke billowing from the mountain, they stood at a distance, trembling with fear. And they said to Moses, “You speak to us, and we will listen. But don’t let God speak directly to us, or we will die!”

the Israelites responded that they did not want a personal relationship with God... they wanted a mediator, and sold themselves short on what God had planned for them.  they chose to do things for God, and put themselves under the law and rules rather than just listening to His voice and following Him.

He wanted them to "be" His people... they wanted to "do" things for Him.  God gave them so many rules that they couldn't "do" without "being".

Been thinking about this concept of "doing" vs "being" a lot lately.  Of service, activities, Bible reading, etc. that I try to do for God (not that these aren't good things... a relationship with God just isn't about these things... it is so much more!)... of how to stop "doing", and how to just "be".  and this all ties back into everything God has been teaching me about worship this month. I think that for some, worship could be about doing, but for me, it is definitely about being rather than doing.  encouraged as I read through the Psalms by all of the verses (too many to name) that talk about waiting for God, about rest, about being still in His presence.

also, been pondering Psalm 40:6 You take no delight in sacrifices or offerings.  Now that you have made me listen, I finally understand—you don’t require burnt offerings or sin offerings... thinking about how this is common truth is today, but in the time and context when David wrote this Psalm, this would have been a profound revelation from the heart of God... it would have been contradictory to the only Bible that David had at the time... it would have been considered heresy by the religious.

and I can't help but ask... What revelations is God giving me and those around me that may sound like heresy, but that is equally profound and in tune with the heart of God as David's revelation here in Psalm 40?

Spinach Artichoke Pesto

Spinach Artichoke Pesto

I think this is my favorite pesto that I've ever made.  I enjoyed it tossed with pasta for an easy vegetarian dinner, you could even add quartered artichokes or some spinach leaves in with the pasta toss.  I think this would also be amazing as an appetizer spread on crostini, or served with pita chips for dipping.  Noah took one bite and said "I love it!".  I love it when I can get him to really enjoy veggies, like the spinach in this.

-1/3 c walnuts, toasted
-1 can artichokes, drained
-1 clove garlic
-zest of 1 lemon
-3 Tbsp lemon juice 
-1/2 c shredded parmesan
-1/2 tsp salt
-1/4 tsp pepper
-1/8-1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
-1/4 tsp nutmeg
-1/4 c olive oil
-1/2 lb baby spinach

Place the garlic clove in a food processor and process until finely minced.  Add remaining ingredients and process until well mixed.  Serve as you like, this will keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

White Bean Dip

I made this Spicy White Bean Dip.  I still can't decide how I feel about it, but the people I served it to liked it.  I think I'd just rather have hummus.  It was interesting, good, a unique twist on hummus, but didn't wow me.  I did reduce the olive oil by half, and next time I think I'd add at least an extra Tbsp of sriracha sauce because it was a little mild to me for a dip that has "spicy" in the title.

27 & 28 weeks

Here is what is going on with Elisha this week according to babycenter.com;

27

This week, your baby weighs almost 2 pounds (like a head of cauliflower) and is about 14 1/2 inches long with her legs extended. She's sleeping and waking at regular intervals, opening and closing her eyes, and perhaps even sucking her fingers. With more brain tissue developing, your baby's brain is very active now. While her lungs are still immature, they would be capable of functioning — with a lot of medical help — if she were to be born now. Chalk up any tiny rhythmic movements you may be feeling to a case of baby hiccups, which may be common from now on. Each episode usually lasts only a few moments, and they don't bother her, so just relax and enjoy the tickle.

The second trimester is drawing to a close, but as your body gears up for the final lap, you may start noticing some new symptoms. Along with an aching back, for example, you may find that your leg muscles cramp up now and then. They're carrying extra weight, after all, and your expanding uterus is putting pressure on the veins that return blood from your legs to your heart as well as on the nerves leading from your trunk to your legs.  Unfortunately, the cramps may get worse as your pregnancy progresses. Leg cramps are more common at night but can also happen during the day. When a cramp strikes, stretching the calf muscle should give you some relief. Straighten your leg and then gently flex your toes back toward your shin. Walking for a few minutes or massaging your calf sometimes helps, too.

28
By this week, your baby weighs two and a quarter pounds (like a Chinese cabbage) and measures 14.8 inches from the top of her head to her heels. She can blink her eyes, which now sport lashes. With her eyesight developing, she may be able to see the light that filters in through your womb. She's also developing billions of neurons in her brain and adding more body fat in preparation for life in the outside world.

You're in the home stretch! The third and final trimester starts this week. If you're like most women, you'll gain about 11 pounds this trimester. At this point, you'll likely visit your doctor or midwife every two weeks. Then, at 36 weeks, you'll switch to weekly visits. Depending on your risk factors, your practitioner may recommend repeating blood tests for HIV and syphilis now, as well as doing cultures for chlamydia and gonorrhea, to be certain of your status before delivery. Also, if your glucose screening test result was high and you haven't yet had follow-up testing, you'll soon be given the 3-hour glucose tolerance test.

And if the blood work done at your first prenatal visit showed that you're Rh negative, you'll get an injection of Rh immunoglobulin to prevent your body from developing antibodies that could attack your baby's blood. (If your baby is Rh positive, you'll receive another shot of Rh immunoglobulin after you give birth.)

Around this time, some women feel an unpleasant "creepy-crawly" sensation in their lower legs and an irresistible urge to move them while trying to relax or sleep. If this sensation is at least temporarily relieved when you move, you may have what's known as restless legs syndrome (RLS). No one knows for sure what causes RLS, but it's relatively common among expectant mothers. Try stretching or massaging your legs, and cut down on caffeine, which can make the symptoms worse. Ask your caregiver if you should try iron supplements, which can sometimes relieve RLS.

As for me, doing good.  Starting to get a little uncomfortable, especially when Elisha sits in a certain position I get some pain toward the right side of my belly.  Other than that all is going well.  I feel huge already, and some of my maternity shirts are starting to no longer cover my belly, so I can't believe I have 3 months left.  Hopefully my growth will chill out for a little bit.  I'm still sleeping well at night, and maybe a tad tired from time to time during the day, but nothing that slows me down from my normal routine.  Still lifting weights, walking, and riding the bike at the gym, but haven't jogged in a week or two and might be done for this pregnancy.