Dora The Explorer Has The Wrong Map

"Who do we ask for help when we don't know which way to go?" asks Dora. "The Map!" exclaim my children. "That's right, the Map!" Dora responds. "Wait...no! Not the Map!" I think to myself. "You ask the Lord, kids! The Lord!" But before I can snatch up the remote control to turn off our TV and begin preaching the sermon "Always Seek God First" to my unsuspecting children, I am convicted that I myself seek all kinds of "maps" before turning to the Lord for help.

So often I find myself grabbing the phone to call my husband, mom, mother-in-law or friend to ask an opinion or seek advice BEFORE I go to the Lord. I know the Bible is The Map for life but it requires work and in my spiritual laziness I just want to pick up the phone and allow someone else to pour out the information I am seeking. It's quicker and much easier to explain a problem to someone who is tangible than it is to open the Bible and research what God has to "say." And let's be honest here, God doesn't always speak loud and clear. Or could it be that I am too busy making phone calls to hear Him?

Psalm 119: 33-37 says, "Teach me, O Lord, to follow your decrees; then I will keep them to the end. Give me understanding, and I will keep your law and obey it with all my heart. Direct me in the path of your commands, for there I find delight. Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain. Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word."

If I would only learn to pray these verses whenever I find myself at a crossroad instead of using my Grabba Phone System I could be confident in the paths I choose. Jeremiah 29:11 says the Lord knows the plans He has for me and that they are good plans. He doesn't say my mom, friend or neighbor knows the plans for my life, He tells me only He does. So the next time I need to know which way to go, don't anticipate a phone call from me. I'm trusting the Lord to give me His understanding and for now on I'll be reading The Map for directions. And while Dora has the right idea, she simply has the wrong map.

Get your "explorers" out of the house and go strawberry picking then follow these directions for a really easy and delicious homemade strawberry jam!

Strawberry Jam
3 pints fresh strawberries
3 cups superfine sugar (yeah, it's a lot but sooo worth it)
2 tbsp orange juice
1/2 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and small-diced
1/2 cup fresh blueberries

Rinse and hull the strawberries then slice into quarters (leave smaller berries whole). Place the strawberries in a large heavy bottom pot and toss them with the sugar and orange juice. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat then add the apple and blueberries. Keep boiling and occasionally stirring for 25-30 minutes (until candy thermometer reaches 220 degrees). Skim off any foam that rises to the top. Allow to cool to room temperature then store covered in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. Serve with sliced and toasted baguettes or in a PB&J sandwich!

**NOTE: The apple serves as the pectin in this jam and you don't notice it or the blueberries once cooked.

Heart Broken

My Bible study this past week was on broken hearts. Kind of ironic that the week ended with Valentine's Day but as I read I learned a lot about myself and the health of my own heart.

I like to refer to myself as a "tough" girl. Not the kind that can kick your butt, I'm talking about the kind that can't be hurt or at least the kind you can't tell is hurt. I've always had a pretty high tolerance to physical pain (we're not talking childbirth here) but emotionally, I'm rock solid. A lot like my dad, you won't see us cry. I get that about-to-cry-burning-sensation in my sinuses and fight it like an ear biting, lisp speaking boxer and come out a champ every time. I can't stand for someone to see me cry. I get embarrassed and feel extremely vulnerable. Don't get me wrong, I do feel sad and am moved by many things I just don't allow myself the freedom to express what I am feeling. I'm not sure why I am this way. It's not that I have suffered multiple losses in my life it's just something I guess I have always done as a form of self-preservation.

Then this week during my Bible study, Breaking Free by Beth Moore, I read something that opened my eyes to the condition of my heart. In the study Beth writes, "Life's way of reacting to a crushed heart is to wrap tough sinews of flesh around it and tempt us to promise we'll never let ourselves get hurt again. That's not God's way. Remember, self-made fortresses built to protect our hearts not only keep love from going out but they keep love from coming in. We risk becoming captives in our own protective fortresses." I realized that though I might not have suffered devastating losses in my life there have been little hurts here and there that have stung just enough to convince me to build a fort around my heart. I have been a captive of my own fortress.

I am slowly breaking free of the strongholds Satan has tried to use against me and I have come to see a vulnerable heart is not a bad thing. It's a heart that may be broken but one that can be healed and used for God's glory. It has been hard but the walls of Ft. Carrie have been coming down and I'm learning how to let the Lord bandage the cracks that have been hidden in my heart. I know I can trust the Lord to protect my heart but if he chooses to allow some breaking to occur I will allow Him to use it for His purpose.

Ok, so the words from Elvis's song "Heartbreak Hotel" are rolling around in my head and I can't help but laugh so...since my baby's still with me, his favorite dinner's on the menu tonight, pasta with tomatoes and scallops, will make him a happy man alright...

Pasta with Tomatoes and Scallops
1 lb fresh scallops (or shrimp)
1 lb rigate pasta
12 roma or plum tomatoes, chopped
3 large cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta according to directions then drain and set aside. Rinse scallops then pat dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat oil in large pan over med heat. Add garlic and saute for a minute then add scallops. Cook until scallops are golden brown on both sides. Add tomatoes and reduce heat to simmer. Stir well then add basil. Let simmer for 5 minutes then add pasta and toss. Serve with Parmesan cheese, a salad and fresh baked bread.

A Christian "Runner's High"

I wish I would have written this entry while still "high" off my 8 mile run last Saturday but as life goes, there seemed to be something constantly begging for my attention and before I knew it time had once again escaped. Anyway, I will try to write with as much emotion as I experienced while running that last mile.

As you probably know by now, I am training for a half marathon. My training schedule has me running 5 times a week with a long run (ranging from 5 to 10 miles) on Saturdays. This past Saturday I was scheduled to run 8 miles, the longest I have ever run in my life, and I was feeling a little intimidated not to mention, apprehensive. There were storm clouds hovering nearby and the wind was picking up. Rain was predicted for the day and I was hoping to complete my run before it began to pour. I geared up (in those perfect fitting shoes) and headed for the door. I grabbed my iPod and turned it on only to notice the battery was showing a sliver of red left indicating the battery would die at any moment. Great. An 8 mile run without Days of Elijah, without U2, without inspiration. I decided to take a chance and bring it along anyway, after all I might be able to get down the driveway with at least part of a song to get me going. Before I chose my playlist though I decided to stop and pray over the songs I would listen to. I asked God to "shuffle" the songs for me and in the order I needed them, then I pressed "shuffle" and walked out the door.

I don't remember the first song or the next 19 but as I turned the corner on mile 7 and asked God to help me finish strong a familiar song came on, "It's All About You (God)" came on and no sooner that I had made my request to God. The song by Nate Sallie was perfect. It is actually one of my "pick me up" songs that I have on several playlists. It's a song with an up beat tempo and great lyrics that remind me life and everything to do with it, is not about me but about God. Thank you Lord! As silly as it seems it worked but then I turned the next corner and faced a daunting hill. Yes, there are hills in Florida (and after running 7 miles the slightest increase can seem like a mountain) and as I began my ascent of 'Mt. Tarpon' a new song came on. A song with a much slower beat that was asking, "Do They See Jesus in Me"? Not exactly a Rocky (1, 2, 3, 4 or 5) motivational song but I climbed away.

As I approached the final corner and mile of my run I was exhausted but I knew I was going to be "ok" since I had asked the Lord to help me finish strong and surely the wind would be at my back now and the ground would be flat, right? This is how the Lord was going to help me, I just knew it. That would have been nice and sure would have made it easier for me but as I rounded the corner I was greeted with a gust of wind that was enough to make me feel as if I was standing still. Seriously, Lord? This is your way of helping me finish strong? I had flight in mind or the road beneath my feet transforming into a moving sidewalk but gale force winds?? Come on?! But as I bowed my head to keep my visor from flying off, "I Sing Holy, Holy, Holy" began playing on my iPod and I felt the Lord's presence stronger than the wind. The words of the song filled my heart and I couldn't help but be moved (figuratively and literally). It was as if the Lord in Heaven was looking down upon me, with the wind swirling and clouds forming, telling me no matter what storms came my way and no matter what adversity I faced, I could get through ANYTHING because He is ALWAYS with me and is HOLY, HOLY, HOLY!

I wish my words could give the moment justice. I was so overwhelmed with His presence that as I picked up the pace and finished the last mile faster than I began the first one tears streamed down my face. I finished my run and had a hard time catching my breath, not because I was tired or winded but because God had taken my breath away! I walked the rest of the way home cooling off to "Open The Eyes of My Heart Lord" and was amazed at the miracles God had just performed for me. They weren't earth shattering or sea dividing but an iPod running for over an hour on an empty battery, a song coming on at the perfect time and finishing a run strong with supernatural strength were enough to make me feel loved and deeply cared for.

According to an online dictionary a "runner's high" is defined as: a state of euphoria experienced during prolonged running or other forms of aerobic, sustained exercise, attributed to an increase of endorphins in the blood. Some might say I was simply experiencing a runner's high but I am convinced it was more, perhaps a Christian runner's high.

Dinner could possibly lead to a state of euphoria if you enjoy the taste of the Islands since Macadamia Nut Chicken with Mango-Pineapple Relish, roasted broccoli and couscous is what's on the menu for tonight.

Macadamia Nut Chicken
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 1/2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp mirin (found on Asian isle at grocery store)
1 tsp minced fresh ginger
1 garlic clove, minced
5 tbsp olive oil, divided
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 cup macadamia nuts, finely chopped
3/4 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 tbsp butter

Whisk together first 5 ingredients and 1 tbsp oil in a bowl. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper then place in a large zip-top bag. Pour marinade over chicken, seal bag and place in fridge to chill 1 hour while turning occasionally to coat. Combine nuts and panko in shallow dish. Place flour in a separate shallow dish then eggs in another shallow dish. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Remove chicken from bag (discard marinade) and dredge in flour, dip in eggs then dredge in crumb mixture. Heat 4 tbsp oil and 1 tbsp butter in a large skillet over med-high heat. cook 3 chicken breasts on each side until golden. Transfer chicken to a sheet pan then repeat procedure with remaining 2 tbsp oil and 1 tbsp butter until all chicken breasts have been cooked until golden. Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until chicken is done. Serve with Mango-Pineapple Relish.

Mango-Pineapple Relish
1 cup mango, diced
1 cup pineapple, diced
1/3 cup sugar

Place all ingredients in a med saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Makes 1 cup and great served over chicken, grilled fish or pork.

Roasted Broccoli
1 bunch of broccoli, chopped into florets
3 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper
Juice and zest from 1 lemon
Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place broccoli on a cookie sheet and drizzle with oil then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place in oven and roast 20 minutes or until edges of broccoli begin to brown. Remove from oven and toss with lemon juice, zest and Parmesan cheese.

Note: I used Marrakesh Express Mango Salsa couscous found on the rice/pasta isle at grocery stores.