Soreness in Your Soul

April 22, 2013 ~ Emily ~ 3 Comments

My alarm went off yesterday morning with a steady cadence of groan producing honks. Normally I’m already surfacing by the time it goes off, and my hand is quick to swing over and hit the snooze button before I rouse myself enough to shut the fool thing off properly. This time, I was still cradled snuggly in dream land when my alarm started. Those steady pulses of rakish noise coming from my bedside table sent my heart pumping at an alarming clip as I moved my arm to silence the sound.

The adrenaline coursing through my body from being jolted awake wasn’t strong enough to mask the stiffness I felt as I rolled over and poked my hand out from beneath the warm covers. I could feel every muscle tighten and resist all forms of unnecessary movement. My abs protested when I sat up, a knot in my lower back making its presence known. Up and down my body, muscles I didn’t even know I had ached.

After a week off, I must have been overly enthusiastic at Shake and Tone {my favorite class at the gym}. I was sore, but a good kind of sore. Even though my muscles ache for days, I can always feel my body getting stronger after a week of challenging workouts. I have a sense of accomplishment when I leave a class red faced, breathing hard, and an even more prominent sense of progress when I wake up with sore muscles.

Sore muscles mean I have stretched my limits. Sore muscles mean I have worked hard and long. Sore muscles mean I am growing in strength and endurance. Sore muscles mean that next time around those leg lifts and lateral raises won’t be so difficult.

I willingly put my body through such riggers multiple times a week. I walk into the gym knowing I will spend an hour huffing and puffing. I will dance {it IS called Shake and Tone…}, squat, lunge, lift, and crunch until I’m dripping sweat. I’m never sorry I did it.

~~~

I’ve been feeling spiritually sluggish lately and I think I know why. I have neglected to give my spirit the same workout I so willingly give my body. Those sore muscles? I crave the same soreness for my soul.

I don’t want to languish in a convenient faith, making lame excuses for being a couch potato Christian. My faith should be dynamic, my heart pulled taught and straining with the love of Christ. My relationship with God should be growing, stretched until it breaks then rebuilt on a firmer foundation.

The particulars of a spiritual workout are still developing in my heart and mind, but here are some of my initial ideas for getting my soul into shape. One thing is for sure – just like keeping in physical shape requires discipline, I know I’ll need a game plan.

Wrestle with God – Jacob did it and I want to as well. There is no better opponent to my doubts/fear/anxiety than God Almighty.
Lift others up in prayer – Interceding for others is often more healing that praying for yourself. I’m tired of my prayer life being so self-centered.
Record how God is working. When people ask, I want to have a ready example of God’s transformative power.
Memorize Scripture – What better defense is there then Truth imbedded in your heart. Added bonus: keeps your brain sharp, too!
Jump over any hurdles – I shudder to think, “what if I had said no?” for so many things in my life. I don’t want to let excuses get in the way of being used by God.
Challenge my limits – My personal best isn’t always the best I can do WITH God. He enables me to see, think, feel, and do things in a different way. It’s time to let God set the standard.

Above all, I know I need to practice. If these things are not put into action, I won’t see results. I’m a bit intimidated by this list, but there’s a spark of excitement too. I can see past the struggle and pain. I can see God molding and shaping a little lump of clay into a sturdy vessel.

I will sweat. I will cry. I will fail.

I will love. I will grow. I will stretch.

And you can bet that my soul will be sore.

GYM { I like via photopin cc } HOOP { Funky64 (www.lucarossato.com) via photopin cc }

Shauna Niequist’s Blueberry Crisp

April 17, 2013 ~ Emily ~ 5 Comments

I am a huge fan of Shauna Niequist and her writing. Cold Tangerines and Bittersweet were fantastic books that I will read over and over, so when I found out she was writing her third book and it was about food and community (two things I’m passionate about), I was super excited.

Even though I wasn’t together enough to get my post about Bread and Wine out early, I received an advance copy of the book a couple months ago. My friend Sarah had also gotten an early copy of Bread and Wine so when she came to visit in March, I thought it would be fun to make some of Shauna’s recipes together (more on that soon!).

Some new friends of ours came over and we feasted on Annettes Enchiladas, Esquites, and Blueberry Crisp. Everything turned out wonderfully, but I couldn’t get enough of that blueberry crisp.

Tim and I got some treasured Purple Gold as a welcome gift when we first moved to Coeur d’Alene and I’ve used it sparingly. Shauna mentions that the crisp is easily adaptable for many fruits, so I decided to use the last of those treasured berries to make a huckleberry version.

Mmm, wow! Five of us polished off the entire 8×8 pan with ease. I made another batch with blueberries later that week. Both were fabulous.

Individual Blueberry Crisp

The topping is a mixture of almond meal, oats, oil, maple syrup and chopped nuts. I about croaked at the price of a little bag of almond meal so I made my own – just grind almonds in a food processor until they look like sand. Be careful not to make almond butter, though.

Layer the topping over a few cups of fruit and bake until bubbly. All the while your house will smell divine. The fruit combined with maple syrup from the crisp topping creates the perfect just sweet enough dessert (or breakfast). We served ours warm with vanilla ice cream at dinner and I ate mine straight from the fridge at breakfast.

I will absolutely be making this again and again.

Shauna Niequist’s Blueberry Crisp

Author: Emily C. Gardner

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 35 mins

Total time: 45 mins

Serves: 4-6

The recipe could easily be doubled and baked in a 9 x 13 inch pan. Find this and other delicious recipes in Bread and Wine.

Ingredients

4 cups blueberries (or almost any fruit), frozen okay
1 cup old-fashioned oats
1/2 cup nuts, chopped (walnuts and pecans work great)
1/2 cup almond meal
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix together oats, nuts, almond meal, syrup, and salt with a fork.
Pour berries into an 8 x 8 pan, and then layer the crispy topping over it.
Bake for 35 – 40 minutes, or up to 10 minutes longer if topping and fruit are frozen, until fruit is bubbling and topping is crisp and golden.

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Read Along The Road

April 15, 2013 ~ Emily ~ 11 Comments

I’m taking a page from Modern Mrs. Darcy and doing my book reviews Twitter style. Not sure if I can keep these snippets under 140 characters a la MMD’s Twitterature, but I will certainly try!

Here’s what I’ve been reading:

100 Thing Challenge by Dave Bruno

A bit pretentious at times, but I’m a sucker for anything related to simplicity. If you’re wanting a spiritual challenge and immense hilarity along with simplicity, you’re better off with Jen Hatmaker’s 7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess. #quickread

Adam by Henri Nouwen

Worldview rocked. I won’t ever look at physical, mental, or emotional disabilities the same. Nouwen’s heartfelt tribute to a dear friend is poignant, playing on themes from previous works like Life of The Beloved.

Bread and Wine by Shauna Niequist

Read it. Make the recipes. Find people to share a meal at your table. #cookbook #fantasticbook #bestofbothworlds Then, read Cold Tangerines and Bittersweet.

How Starbucks Saved My Life by Michael Gates Gill

Didn’t have a ton of sympathy for Mike, but I closed the book loving Starbucks even more. Good for a coffee lover. #mythirdplace

My Hands Came Away Red by Lisa McKay

Extreme, but realistic, look at what could happen on a third-world missions trip. Not your typical “everything is perfect” Christian fiction ending. Plus, the teen romance factor wasn’t cloying or simpy. #pageturner #refreshing

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Here {Five Minute Friday}

April 12, 2013 ~ Emily ~ 7 Comments

Tim and I celebrated another monthiversary yesterday! Eleven months. I’m not quite sure how that’s possible…

I asked him what he thought was the most surprising thing about the past eleven months. Being here, he said. I agree.

I would never have guessed we would be here in Idaho, starting a new life together. Our here has been challenging. I hated here sometimes and other times I couldn’t imagine being anywhere but here.

Despite my fears and struggle with being content {sometimes}, I’m beginning to really see God’s promise for purpose in bringing us here. My vision isn’t specific, though I wish He drew out a detailed map for the next few years; but God is settling my soul with peace.

Here is very different from there {SoCal}, but God is with me wherever I go. I’m really starting to feel that truth.

He is with me whether I’m here, there, or anywhere.

And since He is here, I want to be here also – fully present and willing to take on the here and now with Him.

If I take the wings of the dawn, If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea, even there Thy hand will lead me, and Thy right hand will lay hold of me.

Psalm 139:9 & 10

Linking up with Lisa-Jo for another Five Minute Friday. {Set your timer, clear your head, for five minutes of free writing without worrying about getting it right.}

Breaking Bread

April 10, 2013 ~ Emily ~ 4 Comments

When you eat, I want you to think of God, of the holiness of hands that feed us, of the provision we are given every time we eat. When you eat bread and drink wine, I want you to think about the body and the blood every time, not just when the bread and wine show up in church, but when they show up anywhere – on a picnic table or a hardwood floor or a beach.

Shauna Niequist | Bread and Wine | 17

When they show up anywhere – in Kenya, on your wedding day, with family…

The dusk had gathered quickly. We slowly moved closer together as the sun fell, each drawn away from individual exploration of the chief’s hut to settle in by the fire. Some perched on stools in traditional fashion, others made their bums as comfortable as possible on errant logs.

Steam rising from our mugs of chai mingled with wafts of smoke drifting from the fire a few feet away. The leaves being laid on the hot coals sputtered and moaned but didn’t burn. We huddled around that fire, barely able to see two feet in front of us, and accepted the charred goat liver as it passed around from hand to hand. Shadows in front of us moved fluidly as they tore and hacked and served hunks of roasted goat meat with machetes that hung by their side day in and day out.

I chewed and chewed on my piece of goat with an overwhelming sense of camaraderie and connection. Despite the semi-traumatizing demise of that night’s dinner, I was experiencing the most sincere hospitality from these Samburu strangers. We ate with our hands and in the dust. We ate someone’s prized possession, freely given for our nourishment. We ate to show respect, to give thanks, and to build bridges.

~~~

Our videographer placed himself front and center before the gazebo. Friends and family grouped around him and his camera. The smell of See’s candy and brown butter cookies and cupcakes was already heavy in the air as Tim and I cut into our little cake. A thick vein of cream cheese frosting held two layers of moist pumpkin cake together as we hoisted it onto the plate. I eyed Tim warily as he brought the plastic fork closer to my mouth, but he stuck to our decision about cake cutting manners. My lips closed around the fork and that sweet piece of pastry with finality, like this somehow sealed the deal. Tim and I were sharing a sweet moment in the midst of celebrating God’s faithfulness in brining us together.

~~~

A long baguette rested between us. We tore off chunks at a time leaving little flakes of crispy crust littering the tablecloth. Though the house was familiar, it wasn’t our own, but this could have been a scene from ten years ago or five years ago. We sat around a foreign table eating our fish and bread thankful for the time spent together.

~~~

Breaking bread connects people. It’s a celebration of what’s to come and a way to remember what has passed. We break bread out of love, out of a desire to nourish both our bodies and our souls. We break bread to be a family and extend family to others.

Shauna Niequist’s new book, Bread and Wine, is a beautiful picture of life around the table. She writes poignant snapshots of the joys and pains of breaking bread with one another and provides delicious recipes to encourage us to make memories around the tables we share.