Everybody loves Ebelskivers

I've blogged about it before, but I just love our [new-ish] little family tradition of having Ebelskivers for breakfast when Sean is home for a holiday.  Healthy? not so much. Delicious? definitely. We have tried lots of different recipes from my Ebelskiver recipe book, but this one was probably in the top three {along with Lemon Curd ebelskivers and Apple-spiced filled ebelskivers}.  This morning I made Double Blackberry Ebelskivers with a fresh blackberry in the middle and homemade blackberry sauce! 

Living and loving life in the little things. 

Days off, family breakfast, sticky fingers, beautiful sunny day. 

Doesn't get much better.

Thank you Lord.

As Organic as it Gets

We love spending time with [both] our families, and Jack especially loves all the fun and special things he does with his Grandparents. We were at Sean's parents house for *yummy* carne asada the other night, and I decided to capture my little farmer having fun with Grandma and her vegetable garden.  I'm so jealous because I love fresh veggies and buy all organic [when i can]...and can you imagine just walking out to your yard and picking a nice handful of spinach for your salad? Thats exactly what we did. Love it! It doesn't get any more organic than that! 

Jack loves watering the plants and I should have known better than to try to get his picture while he was busy gardening.  He soaked me! I literally had to throw my jeans in the dryer...I was that wet.    

It's ok though. Sometimes making memories [and capturing them on camera] means getting soaked by your 2 year old with a hose.

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What I'm learning about Prayer: Finding my Voice

I have gone through different seasons in my prayer life. Some where praying was a joy, spending time listening and learning was a constant throughout the day; and other times when praying seemed like the last thing I wanted to do, or felt like I could do.  I was silent. My mind was not fixed on things above.  My heart was not moved upwards to the Lord. Even the very beat of my heart seemed silent.

My boys. I love them. These pics were from this outing.

I haven't been able to really pray out loud for a long time.  I know why. I know when it started. But I haven't been able to overcome it- yet.  I was working in a church {where I met Sean} and there were some things that happened, and I was hurt very deeply by some of the people ministering there.  I won't go into detail here because a) it is irrelevant to my point and b) I don't see the benefit of re-hashing those particular events.  Except to say that I know it was after that time that I lost my voice to pray out loud.  I was betrayed and hurt and all while "doing ministry" with these people, who ultimately were unloving, uncaring and at times- down right mean.  I left there totally jaded, hurt and disillusioned by these "church" people.   How could these "Christian" people, working at a church "serving the Lord" treat somebody this way?  I still loved the Lord and trusted Him, but the hurt from that time left wounds that I'm still working through.  Part of me shut down {the part that prayed out loud}. I don't really know why that part of my relationship with the Lord was affected the way that it was, but it just was.  I put up walls in my heart that stifled my voice.  I have made some progress, and praying with Jack has helped a lot- and for some reason is always easy.  I want my children to know I pray, to hear me pray and to learn to pray.  Sean is pray warrior.  I love listening to him pray. He prays with his heart listening to the Lord, and he prays with conviction, strength and with the power of the Holy Spirit.  I want to be able to pray with people, on the spot, out loud.  Instead of letting the fear reign, I want to allow the Holy Spirit to work and speak through me.  Eeek. Even just saying this makes me nervous. But it really is the desire of my heart.

I am still reading Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster and I love the chapter on prayer.  Here are a few excerpts that are really speaking to me:

"In prayer, real prayer, we begin to think God's thoughts after him: to desire the things he desires, to love the things that he loves, to will the things that he wills" (Foster, 33).

Isn't this exactly what the Christian life should be? The finite human drawing ever closer to the infinite Creator, Redeemer, and Savior God; always seeking to better know the heart of God. Prayer is our avenue to the heart of God.  This will inevitably flow outward into the rest of our lives, if we are committed to it. Prayer will necessitate change, for we cannot draw nearer to perfection with out our own imperfections starring us in the face.  We will be moved.  We will be changed.  We will be progressively transformed to his likeness.

"The apostle Paul gladly announces that we are "co-laborers with God"; that is, we are working with God to determine the outcome of events (1 Cor. 3:9)" (Foster, 39).

Prayer not only changes us, but it can affect events and circumstances in your life and in the lives of those around you.  There is an amazing section on intercessory pray (praying for others) in this chapter.  I would have to type out the whole thing to really do it justice- it is just that good.  Let is suffice to say that God hears our prayers and God does change his mind according to his unfailing love (Jn. 3:10) so our prayers CAN affect change.  Prayer is a powerful tool that God has given us.

"We begin praying for other by first quieting our fleshly activities and listening to the silent thunder of the Lord of hosts. Attuning ourselves to divine breathings is spiritual work, but without it our praying is vain repetition (Matt. 6:7). Listening to the Lord is the first thing, the second thing, and the third thing necessary for successful intercession" (Foster, 39).

This reminds me of Ecclesiates 5:1-2 when it says, 

"Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools... do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few." 

Drawing near to LISTEN. That is the first step in prayer.  In the margin next to this passage I had written a quote from John Bunyon, "In prayer it is better to have a heart without words, than words without a heart."  Listening to God gives our hearts the words that we should pray. 

"If we are still we will learn not only who God is, but how his power operates" (Foster, 39).

This past week I had to pray out loud. There was no choice. I had to pray- out loud- to hear the words myself, because I believed them, and I wanted God to know that I was pleading and believing.  And there was no time for fear or self-anything. I just had to PRAY. I saw God answer our prayers. I saw him MOVE. I saw him do a MIRACLE.  There are some things I won't share on this blog, but the truth is: there is POWER in PRAYER. I feel like my walls are starting to crumble. I'm finding my voice in prayer again. I'm finding in through silence.

My Verse of the Week this week is Col. 4:2

"Devote yourselves to prayer being watchful and thankful."

I am excited to delve deeper into the heart of God, learning to listen, to pray and to know the power of praying....out loud even.

linking up with Casey here

Trendy lil Toddler

Something a little more light-hearted today. My trendy lil toddler! If you have a little boy, and love fashion like I do,  then you probably  have been annoyed shopping for boys clothes too. There are inevitably 10 rows of girl clothes for 1 rack of boy clothes, whether you're at Target or Neiman Marcus, the selection is slim and the styles pretty much all look the same. I recently discovered this new brand of little boy clothes and I have to say I'm a little smitten. Its called Fore!! Axel and Hudson and it is a-dor-able! It features golf inspired pieces with fun patterns and a mix of color and texture that I haven't seen for little boys! The clothes are also eco-friendly being made from bamboo/spandex. Here is my lil buddy modeling some of the pieces from their Spring 2011 line.

I bought a few other pieces that I LOVE and a few that I am definitely going to get {when I get a little extra money...haha}. It is a little on the pricey side, but I lucked out at Bloomies during their Friends and Family sale event a few weeks ago and got them 40% off plus an additional $25 bucks off! Woo hoo! If you don't have a Bloomingdales near you... you can find this cute line on this darling  website Poppy Clementine.

And now a little story. Sean got his haircut yesterday and when he got home Jack said, "Daddy where did your hair go?" It was so cute. Sean responded, "I got a haircut, buddy." Then Jack said, "Oh. I like it. Looks good Daddy! You got a lollipop Daddy?" Haha. I love the way he thinks. Why don't salons give lollipops to adults? I mean, it is kind of boring just sitting there while they cut your hair. right? Kids have all the fun! haha. I guess we have Vogue and Us Weekly to keep us occupied.

Thanking the Lord for the little things, a new day today, for miracles yesterday, and for hope, life and strength for tomorrow.

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Deliverance

Have you ever been in a crisis.  

So scared you couldn't see straight. 

So shocked you could not speak. 

Crying out to God for Deliverance. 

Help. 

Deliverance. 

Help. 

God do not delay. 

Help. 

Claiming the blood of Jesus.

Mercy.

Deliverance.

Help. 

I was begging God to intervene. 

Never have I felt fear so thick, so heavy.

Psalm 77

 "I cried out to God for help;
I cried out to God to hear me.
When I was in distress, I sought the Lord;
at night I stretched out untiring hands,
and I would not be comforted.

I remembered you, God, and I groaned;
I meditated, and my spirit grew faint.
You kept my eyes from closing;
I was too troubled to speak.
I thought about the former days,
the years of long ago;
I remembered my songs in the night.
My heart meditated and my spirit asked:

 “Will the Lord reject forever?
Will he never show his favor again?
 Has his unfailing love vanished forever?
Has his promise failed for all time?
Has God forgotten to be merciful?
Has he in anger withheld his compassion?”

Then I thought, “To this I will appeal:
the years when the Most High stretched out his right hand.
I will remember the deeds of the LORD;
yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.
I will consider all your works
and meditate on all your mighty deeds.”

 Your ways, God, are holy.
What god is as great as our God?
 You are the God who performs miracles;
you display your power among the peoples.
 With your mighty arm you redeemed your people,
the descendants of Jacob and Joseph.

 The waters saw you, God,
the waters saw you and writhed;
the very depths were convulsed.
 The clouds poured down water,
the heavens resounded with thunder;
your arrows flashed back and forth.
Your thunder was heard in the whirlwind,
your lightning lit up the world;
the earth trembled and quaked. 

 Your path led through the sea,
your way through the mighty waters,
though your footprints were not seen.

 You led your people like a flock
by the hand of Moses and Aaron."

My God is Powerful. My God does Miracles. My God Delivers His People. 

Jehovah-Mephalti

The Lord is my Deliverer  

Psalm 18:1-2

"I love you, LORD, my strength.
The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;
my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,
my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold."

Claiming this truth today.

A Word from the Mister: Reconciliation

I was re-reading this devotional that my husband wrote for Christmas (you don't mind a little Christmas in the Springtime right?) and it was such a good reminder of our purpose and God's love for us. Sean is so intelligent, spirit-filled, and such a constant encouragement to me, I thought it would be nice to share it here so it could also encourage others. I was happy he agreed to let me post it :-) He has such a deep love for the Lord, I am constantly learning from him and encouraged to seek the Lord even more. I'm so blessed to have him as my Mister :-) I'm hoping he will be a regular part of the Bradford Road Blog!

As we celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus by giving gifts to each other, we commemorate a tradition started by God the Father when He gave us the gift of His Son Jesus. His gift is the means through which we are reconciled to God. So let’s consider, what is the significance of reconciliation? Why does it matter that we are allowed back into the presence of God? 

Jesus said, “No one is good but One, that is, God” Luke 18:19. 

photo credit

The key to understanding why being in His presence is of such great importance lies in an understanding of what is good. Goodness is a relative concept. It has a spectrum much like temperature. We use descriptors such as hot and cold to explain our relative experience with energy but notably, there is no such thing as hot or cold. When we use these descriptors we are simply expressing to what degree energy is present or absent. In the same way, there is no such thing as good or evil. These simply describe the presence or absence of God. 

Just as water freezes when energy is absent and vaporizes when it is abundantly present, the degree to which God is present or absent in our lives has a direct effect on our condition. When He is absent, people will lie, cheat, steal, and do other deplorable things. They will be miserable, unfulfilled, and unsatisfied. This is a law of nature just as there is a law that makes water freeze at 32 degrees. Nothing will change that. Without God, we have nothing that is good.

But with God, our condition takes a different state. When He is present in our lives, goodness fills our hearts and satisfies our soul. Not only does it bless us but His goodness overflows from our lives into the lives of others, blessing them as well. This is why having reconciliation is of such infinite importance. With God, we can again have goodness. We can again have life. And not just life as measured by a pulse but life to the fullest. 

Jesus says, “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it MORE abundantly!” (John 10:10).

In this context one can understand the Psalmist who says, “In Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore” (Ps. 16:11). And again, “For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere” (Ps. 84:10).

Therefore, to the degree that we seek to have goodness in our hearts and in the hearts of those around us, let us pursue the presence of the Lord. “He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” (Heb 11:6). This is a promise. If vapor is the most energized form of water, how blessed would we be if we were filled with the spiritual equivalent! 

So as we meditate on the tremendous gift of reconciliation, lets take inventory of the level of ‘goodness’ in our lives, thank the Lord for it, then pursue His presence all the more.

linking up with Casey here

Mmm D'Licious: Smoothilicious! {and a story}

His, Hers & Bubba's

Spinach in your smoothie? Yes please!

I have to say I'm one of those lucky moms whose child will eat anything and everything you put in front of him.  A trait he comes via his father, definitely not his mama. I was the pickiest eater ever! By that I mean I ate about 5 things: peanut butter sandwiches,

quesadillas, rolled tacos (no guac), mac n cheese, and turkey on bread {you really can't even call that a sandwich}. My mom would make a separate "salad" just for me every night= lettuce and carrots.

I passed on every condiment known to man, and everything had to be plain, dry and not touching anything nasty. I wouldn't eat butter on anything, and at Mexican restaurants, I'd dip my chips in water because I didn't like salsa but I still wanted to participate in the dipping aspect of chips 'n salsa. Picky is probably not even an extreme enough adjective to describe me. I should probably insert a huge [sorry Mom] right here! 

I actually remember in high school wondering what I would ever cook for a husband or family some day since my own preferences made up such a small and limited list of foods. Luckily, my taste buds evolved [either that or I just decided to be brave/normal and try things]- not so lucky for my mom...I was like 20 at that point!

Now I love salads with dressing, mexican food with guacamole, and   while I still avoid mayo at all costs, honey mustard is pretty yummy on a turkey sandwich. 

But back to the original purpose of this post...the smoothie.  I started making a smoothie every morning when I stopped nursing Jack.  He had stopped nursing except for right when he woke up in the morning, so when I decided I was done [he was 16 months...that's a good long time] I used the smoothie as a diversion.  My husband also liked the morning smoothie routine, so it stuck. I figured it was a good way to get everyone a nice helping of fruit, protein, and I even sneaked some veggies in there when no one was looking! So here is 1 of my many combinations for a morning smoothie:

2 cups unsweetend Vanilla Almond milk

8 strawberries

1 banana

a heaping handfull of spinach

1/2 cup blueberries

1/4 cup pineapple

I also add a scoop of Juice Plus Compete vanilla protein powder. It is a whole food based protein that is super good for you! That could be a whole post in and of itself (right Alice?).

I use frozen (and organic when I can) fruit. Makes it cold, but not watery. I don't like adding ice. 

This is kid & husband approved! You really cannot taste the spinach, and its a good way to get the kiddos to eat some leafy greens!

  Now that's lovely!

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