New blog address

I'm really tired of my super long blog address, so I'm getting ready to switch over to a new and shorter one. It's going to be 1000yeses.blogspot.com  I'll explain that address in a future post for any who don't understand it yet from my last one. But I'm giving you all a heads-up in advance so that you can start following the new one and not be missing my updates. That is, of course, for anybody who reads the stuff n' fluff (hopefully not mostly fluff) that I write here. Thanks! Lisa

A Year of "Yes" - A Year of Rest

"2 Corinthians 1:20
For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory."

I started this post weeks ago, but never got farther than changing the blog title and making a draft of this with the verse.. Actually, I was struck by the verse in the end of December and somewhere deep inside I knew I'd need to write this. I postponed it because I didn't know how to say what was resonating inside(I still don't so pardon my ramblings). But it's stuck with me. Day after day the thought returns.  It was after I had mentioned on Facebook that I wanted this year to be a my year of rest, that it struck me - My year of Rest comes through making it my year of "Yes" A Thousand "yes's" because like the verse I quoted above - all the promises of God find their yes in him - and I am crying out a resounding "Amen" to God for his glory.  I need this. I need the promises of God to find their "yes," and for my children to find their "yes" in me because I follow Christ... Yes. I do follow Christ. A halting, stumbling, failing following - but I follow in his steps. Here on my blog with the crazy long name (ouradventuresinhissteps.blogspot.com) I recount to you bits of this journey. Sometimes with a blush of shame - I realize how halting and faltering it is. And then I remember Abraham - father of many nations when the first child was yet to be. He was called the friend of God because he BELIEVED the promises. I too will believe the promises and find their 'yes' in Christ. Amen!? 
The marvel of it - that God can see past the mess of today and bless with the promise of tomorrow.

The wind here in WY is amazing. There are times it blows so hard that if you lean in, the wind itself will hold you up. But it comes in gusts. I was leaning against the wind the other day as I struggled my way into Walmart, and then it dropped, and I staggered sideways. Sometimes I stagger like this in the circumstances of life because I'm leaning on my own strength....
On Sunday, I took my little girlie out to the playground because she wanted so to swing. But the wind was so fierce that I sought shelter under a large outcropping rock. I found that the wind there was not nearly so daunting.  My God is like that. The gale of the days blows hard. If I lean into him, he is there. Rock solid, sheltering, unchanging, unmovable. I want to lean hard into him and find his strength and shelter enough to carry me through these days.

These days... days when I start at sunup and find at sundown that the place still looks like I've been playing all day. Days when I find my little girlie eating milk chocolate behind closed doors, and have barely gotten through that when the wails of wee one beckon. Days when my son drops his lunch all over the floor and I get up to clean it up, and drop my cup of smoothie and it shatters, splashing the wall and sofa 10 ft away... days when my patience and strength seem gone and I wonder "Can I do this?" "Can I even raise these children for the Lord?"  And then I realize that the answer is both no and "YES" I can't but then again, I can - for he has said "I will never leave you or forsake you" so I can boldly say, "The LORD is my helper." and "I can do ALL things through Christ who gives me strength." 
I can't say it all today - so look for more of my ponderings on "YES" another time.

 And here's my little man - who is now 6 months old!

The Warm Fuzzies Jar

I found this idea today... The Warm Fuzzies Jar  And I really think I'm going out to get me some pompoms! I've tried something very similar with pennies, but then it's pennies, and I don't want to start paying the children to do well. I love the rewarding aspect this presents, as well as instant affirmation. Great Idea! Maybe somebody else will like it as well.
 Here is a direct quote of part of the article I've linked to above, but you can read the rest by following it:
"I went to the kitchen and found a large pickle jar and filled it with the colorful pom-pom balls. Then I set two smaller jars beside it on the kitchen counter. Within minutes, my children noticed the jars and inquired about them.
“This is The Warm Fuzzy Jar,” I explained. “Whenever you do something helpful or kind, you place a pom-pom ball in your designated jar because kind and helpful acts make people feel good, like a warm fuzzy.” The girls looked at each other with wide eyes and big smiles, so I continued. “And if you are doing something helpful together or just getting along nicely, you can put two pom-poms in your designated jar. And when your jar becomes full, you can choose something special for you and I to do together.”
My children had the same reaction as my former students did to filling The Warm Fuzzy jar—pure enthusiasm. They wasted no time being helpful.
They carried in groceries that I typically brought in by myself.
They put away shoes in the hallway that they used to step over for days.
They made their beds in the morning without being told … dirty clothes actually made it to the hamper without my help … dishes made it to the sink (and even got rinsed) with helpful smiles … musical instruments got played without reminders to practice.
There were even a few shockers like a surprise organization of my spice rack and a super clean toilet bowl. But that wasn’t all. The Warm Fuzzy Jar changed the atmosphere of our home. Cooperation and kindness seems to lighten everyone’s moods—most notably mine.
I noticed that she dressed herself and hung the discarded clothes back on hangers—not that the striped socks didn’t match the plaid skirt.
I noticed that she was helping her sister write sentences—not that the Sharpie she was using was turning her fingers black.
I noticed that she prepared a healthy breakfast of cereal and cantaloupe—not the trail of milk that went all the way from the counter to the kitchen table.
I noticed that she helped her sister do her hair—not the twelve barrettes that were secured haphazardly to the back of her head.
I was Noticing the Good, and it was making a huge difference in our day-to-day interactions and my children’s overall well-being."

My Paraphrase and thoughts on I Cor. 13

It really doesn’t matter if I can speak all the languages of earth and even tongues. If I don’t really love others, I am only a noise maker, as undesirable to hear as kettle lids being banged together. I can have all kinds of wise insights and understand God’s secret plans, yes and even possess all knowledge. I can be so faith-filled that I can move mountains, but if I don’t love others, it’s nothing. Even if I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my own body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing.

• Love is patient and kind. Yet in my day to day dealings with the little one… How often do I become impatient? To be always gentle with them!

• Love is not jealous - Do I desire the recognition or blessings of others? Does it rankle me when things are unequal?

•  Or boastful - Do I quietly go about serving my Maker? Or do I ever seek recognition for my accomplishments, etc?

•  Or proud - Pride…so sneaky…so easy to fall into the trap of self focus and self seeking! Even my supposed humility can be so prideful!

•  Or rude - this one makes me think of that day when the phone didn’t hang up when I thought  it had, and I was in the middle of scolding my little one when a voice on the other end asked if I was finished…. Yes, if you are reading this, you know who you are and remember! I blushed and hung up without even answering. I was mortified… yet, my little ones here me speak like this and I don’t even think is it loving?

• It does not demand its own way - do I?

• It is not irritable - oooh! Ouch! Yes, I confess I do get irritated much to quickly…those daily irritations, the constant questions of toddlers, the foolish prattle….

• It keeps no record of being wronged… (you always do thus and so)

• It does not rejoice in injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out.

• Love never gives up… those prayers that seem to go unanswered?

•  Never loses faith… when days and weeks and years pass by?

•  Is always hopeful… ALWAYS?!

•  And endures through every circumstance… the long moments of every day with his love?

“Oh Jesus Christ who bore the bitter cross for me -

 Stretched out Thine arms in love and agony

Impart Thy love and fill, transform my heart - 

Til’ it breaths naught but love - the love Thou art!”

"Dairy-Free" Cheesecake!

Okay, so, as long as I'm breastfeeding I'm officially abstaining from dairy and gluten. For one who grew up dairy intolerant, that isn't so terrible, but it just so happens to cut out my favorite dessert - Mocha Cheesecake! It's the holidays, and every single party or gathering I go to is well stocked with every sweet treat imaginable - all of them loaded with dairy, gluten (and of course sugar and calories). Maybe it's a blessing in disguise that I can't eat them, because then I'm not packing on the pounds either, but I finally got so hungry for my favorite, that I decided to see what I could do about it.
The results? Quite satisfactory! So in case there is another Mocha Cheesecake lover out there, living in self denial, I'll share the recipe with you!

In my case, my little guy handles me eating a bit of goat milk, so that is the yogurt I used, but I think one could easily substitute soy, almond or other dairy free yogurt, only maybe the flavor would be a little less authentic. And by the way - I got the yogurt and cashew butter on sale at a discount grocers! Score!

Here's the filling. For a crust - simply use a graham cracker crust recipe with gluten free cookie crumbs if desired - and butter substitute like earth balance:

In saucepan over low heat
2 tsp instant coffee dissolved in 2 tsp of hot water
1/4 cup of honey(this can be adjusted to desired sweetness and could be another sweetener)
1/2 cup coconut oil
2/3 cup semi sweet chocolate chips (I use Kirkland brand because they are dairy free)
2 Tb dark cocoa powder

Stir till melted and then add:

2/3 cup raw cashew butter

Mix well and add:

1 1/3 c. plain goat milk yogurt

Pour over crust and chill until set up - I chilled mine overnight.

Mmmm!  Enjoy!

Cardboard Gingerbread House

 Did you know that the box the presents come in can be just as much fun as the gifts themselves? Grandma's box of sparkly gifts arrive in this box and Christy asked me to make her a house. When I started to cut it, I suddenly saw some fun potential and we got out the paint and glue. This is what we created.

 

Here is a note from Johnny to Grandma - "Our dear Grandma,  We love you. This gingerbread house is neat! We are excited to open the packages. Thank you for sending them! I think that the little one might be money!"

And this one is from Christy -"I love you. I want to open my package all day long soon! But I want to wait til Christmas. We made a house from your box. I like it."

Winter in Wyoming

Saw this poem today and it made me grin. I changed a stanza for sake of politeness...


It's winter in Wyoming
And the gentle breezes blow
Seventy miles an hour
At thirty-five below.

Oh, how I love Wyoming
With all this snow to tackle
You take a breath of winter
And your nose begins to crackle.

Yes, the weather here is wonderful
So I guess I'll hang around
I could never leave Wyoming
I'm frozen to the ground!

Our cheerful little man! He can sit and giggle and wiggle in this swing so sweetly! Beth Alexander, if you are reading this, how can I thank you for it enough? 

Snowball!

This is the nature of snow in Cheyenne - Bare patches and drifts! They have what they call ground blizzards here, when the already fallen snow blows around and drifts the roads back shut.

Jack Frost's handiwork - see the neat designs in the ice? Isn't our Creator amazing? I found this frost pattern on Christy's window one day.

 

Our little smiley guy(I don't know how to get it to play the right speed...)