Are you a No Trans Fat Christian?

So I want to share with you some more from the book " Crazy Love" Im reading by Francis Chan. He has a great analogy of the labeling we find often now on food, " No Trans Fat". I decided to post this so you get an idea of how straight forward he is before I post what he says about Lukewarm Christians, just because that will hit ya hard after you read it.. Well for most of us it will! This was a great reminder for me when I feel far from God or disconected to do something about it , Right away. Because like Chan says loving God is what its all about. Following God and learning what love is, is what leads us to eternity... which we will all face one day.

And so it begins with potato chips!


(From the Book "Crazy Love")

Recently I saw a  bag of potato chips with a bold declaration splashed across the front: " Zero grams of trans fat." I was glad to know that I wouldn't be consuming and trans fat, which research has shown is detrimental to my health. But then I flipped the bag over and read the ingredients list, which included things like " yellow #6 and other artificial colors and partially hydrogenated oil, which is trans fat, just a small enough amount that they can legally call it " 0 grams". I thought it was incredibly ironic that these chips were being advertised in a way that makes me think they are not harmful yet were really full of empty calories, weird chemicals, and ironically, trans fat.

It struck me that many Christians flash around " no trans fat" label, trying to convince everyone they are healthy and good. Yet they have no substantive or healthful elements to their faith. It's like the Laodiceans, who thought they had everything until Christ told them they were poor and wretched. They were all about declaring, " Look we have no trans fat, . We are wealthy, or we have good families, or we go to church every week." Obviously, its not what you advertise that counts, its what you are really made of.

Gods definition of what matters is pretty straightforward. He measures our lives by how we love. 

Paul writes that even if " I have faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver my body to be burned, but haven ot love, I gain nothing." ( 1 Corn. 13:2-3)

So God assesses our lives based on how we love. But the word love is so overused and worn out.  God tells us this about love.

1 Corinthians 13:4-8

But even those words have grown tired and overly familiar, haven't they?

Here's a little exercise for you to try. Read through the scripture again and insert your name. For example, Francis  is patient..... Do it for every phrase in the passage. 

By the end dont you feel like a liar?

Following Christ isn't something that can be done halfheartedly or on the side. It is not a label we can display when its useful. It must be central to everything we do and are. 

If life is a river then pursuing Christ requires swimming upstream. When we stop swimming or actively following Him, we automatically begin to be swept downstream. I believe that much of the American churchgoing population, while not specifically swimming downstream, is slowly floating away from Christ. It isn't a conscious choice, but it is nonetheless happening because little in their lives propels them toward Christ.

Worry and Stress taking over? Check this out!

So I’m reading this book called, “Crazy Love” Overwhelmed by a relentless God by Francis Chan.

And I wanted to share with you what he writes about worry and stress. It was as great reminder for me as I approach a few big turns coming up in my life… a few I’ll share with you are my brother’s exploratory surgery coming up in a couple weeks at Cleveland Clinic and starting a new job as Operations manager at Habitat for Humanity in Genesee county, and of course there are a couple more things squeezed in between those..

So as my mind started to think about this surgery for my brother and what it will mean for his future and how can I be strong for him and also show him my confidence in God, when we have no solid truth as to what is going on with him and what his future will hold, I realized I have to get into God’s word. That’s the only place where truth is right there instantly. ( Well you hope sometimes it takes a day or so for me to really have some scriptures sink in and speak to me!)  It just continues to ring true to life for all of us I guess. I mean we all do not know what the future will hold. We have to trust in God. 

So here’s what Francis Chan says about stress and worry.

“When I am consumed by my problems- stressed out about my life, my family, my job- I actually convey the beliefs that I think the circumstances are more important than God’s command to always rejoice. In other words, that I have a right to disobey God because of the magnitude of my responsibilities.

Worry- implies that we don’t quite trust that God is big enough, powerful enough, or loving enough to take care of what’s happening in our lives.

Stress- says that the things we are involved in are important enough to merit our impatience, our lack of grace toward others, or our tight grip of control.

Basically these two behaviors communicate that it’s okay to sin and not trust God because the stuff in my life is somehow exceptional. Both worry and stress reek of arrogance. They declare our tendency to forget that we’ve been forgiven, that our lives here are brief, that we are headed to a place where we won’t be lonely, afraid, or hurt ever again, and that in the context of Gods strength, our problems are small indeed.

Why are we so quick to forget God? Who do we think we are?

I find myself relearning this lesson often. Even though I glimpse Gods holiness, I am still dumb enough to forget that life is all about God and not about me at all.”

So I’ll leave you with that today and hopefully we can be reminded to give our worries and stress to God, to not let them consume our everyday choices and actions.  

My Homemade successes

So I have been trying to make some things we eat often homemade... less preservatives and cheaper... and here they are!  I would post pictures of them but our camera died after I fell in the water at Stony Brook Park! haha

1. Homemade yogurt! Came out nice and thick.  Here is the recipe ! I let mine sit in the cooler for 6 hours.  I also used 2% milk and only used a half gallon of milk.

2. Blackberry Muffins. We have soooo many in our backyard. Here is the recipe!

3. Strawberry Fruit Roll ups. I just used the recipe from my dehydrator. Its super simple.

4.  Graham Crackers. Let me just say... SO DELICIOUS! The dough is so good and you can eat it worry free because there are no eggs in it!! This is my favorite find! Here is the recipe.

Next I want to try mayonnaise and ranch dressing since we go through quite a bit. It's been fun making things like this and knowing it costs less and is SO much better for you!! 

Do you know where Oshkosh is?

It's been awhile.
I haven't really felt inspired to write anything, and a lot has been going on. I also enjoy spending time in the pool during Riley's nap rather than inside. But right now the fan is feeling pretty good.

We went to Wisconsin to visit my family. It was an amazing time. Everything about it was so meant to be.

In wisconsin it was awesome at night my grandma, dad, Eric and I got to talk about heaven and ghosts and just really discuss God. I love it. I love seeing my husband's love for Jesus grow more and more. The visit was so heartwarming to be with my Grandma and my best friend and her family.
I am so blessed with that friendship. We have been friends since 1st grade! We are now 27!!! It feels so amazing just being at her house hanging out with her and her kids! It also is so nice because our husbands get along great!!

It was so awesome to see my cousins and meet their little families. It was so awesome to see God working in all of us.

It was great to go by my childhood house. The house I dreamt about for years after we moved from it. So many memories.  We freaked ourselves out because the owners of it now asked my mom if we ever experienced any paranormal activity...

So the one night it was around midnight and Dad, Eric and I were idiling in the car across the street from it. We decided the owners were not home because for the last few days the same lights were on. Dad and I actually went up on the porch and window peaked. It was a crazy wave of emotions. EVerything except the living room still looked the same. And that dining room always creeped me out and then hearing about ghosts I almost  couldn't peak it.

Then we drove around the other side looked at the back yard.  Then went back in the driveway just looking at it.

Well then the neighbor pulled in( its a shared driveway too!) So we pulled out and then stopped and waited to see who got outta the car. We HAD to know if it was our old nightmare of a couple neighbors. It wasn't.
It was a young guy and all three of us are staring at him and he starts putting his hands up like WHAT WHAT? Im like DAD DRIVE AWAY< GO!!

So we get back to grandmas house. And my cousin is spening the night too. Well she says a black car ( same one as the neighbor) pulled in the driveway. I think oh no. Then she says a man is getting out.

My heart is racing. THAT MAN FOLLOWED US! Oh boy dad is gonna get it.

Sure enough, Knock, Knock on the door.

We all looked at eachother with HUGE EYES, phew it was just my grandmas neighbor.

Now why was he coming over after midnight? ha he wanted to talk to my dad.. hang out!

Dad tells him we are going to bed.

Then the craziness begins...
( Heres a link to our old house. They painted it purple.. Horrible my parents re did that whole house all victorian including beautiful paint job..)

We start scaring the shit outta each other.. including my grandma.

Eric got Dad so good. First I hid on the side of his bed. He was staying in what used to be my great grandmas room. He said he was already creeped out in there. So I jumped up and scared him!

Then we took turns getting one another.

Eric hid in the closet in Dads room. I never heard my dad scream like that!! He got so scared he fell back onto the bed.
I haven't heard Eric laugh that hard in awhile.

We couldnt stop. My grandma went outside with a flash light and was scaring us through the windows.

When she came in she cracked me up so much, saying I think I stepped in dog shit!! of course she went out with no shoes!

I put a sheet over myself and just was randomly standing in the kitchen. Got my cousin and Dad pretty good.

We just had fun.

We made my grandma a garden and eric moved a pipe for her. So we created a nice little outdoor area next to her patio and swing.

We were out there hanging out and wanted pizza at 10pm. I guess its not like New York, all the pizza places were closed.

So where did we order from? Buffalo Wild Wings!
We ate outside with wings at 11pm. Then just as we were about to finish it started thundering!

We just had such an awesome time enjoying each others company.

Even though I hadn't seen my family in forever our conversations flowed and were easy. My husband met most of my family for the first time, and he was talking the whole time.

I just was so moved by the love from family.

It is so special to see my dad and husband together. They actually seem like great friends instead of father son.

They laugh and laugh together. I got to hang out with my best friend while they went to the bar to play pool.

Of course once we got home I started to have those negative thoughts creep up.

The pity party was int he closet waiting to jump out and start celebrating how much it sucks that I am so far away from my family. The part of feeling alone and how they are missing out on Rileys every day activities.

But then I remembered GOD!

He has a plan. He knows our hearts desires. And... I just had an amazing week with everyone. That right there is reason to celebrate. I know it makes all our visits more special than if we saw each other every day. I was able to thank him for the relationship I have with my family and the closeness we share. I realized I have a lot more to be thankful for then the few I wish it were like this...  My thankfulness squashed down the devils attempt to ruin my vacation.

Sure my heart breaks when I just want to say to my parents and brothers, hey come meet us at the splash park. But I know Gods love brings hope! And this world is temporary.

One day we will be together in perfect harmony. And if its Gods plan to have us wait until that day. Im ok with that. Because while I'm here on earth as long as Im trusting in him, he gives me everything I need at the perfect time.


" Those who bring trouble on their families inherit only the wind. The fool will be a servant to the wise." Proverbs 11: 29.


What that verse is saying is this- " One of the greatest resources God gives us is the family. Families provide acceptance, encouragement, guidance, and counsel. Bringing trouble on your family- whether through anger or through an exaggerated desire for independence- is foolish because you cut yourself off from all they provide. In your family strive for healing, communication, and understanding."